Description

January 1942 – Exchanges of letters between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and the Resident General in Rabat, concerning the cases of individuals who have requested to receive or retain French nationality.

On January 1, the Minister of Justice answered the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the question dated December 16, 1941 and informed him that the naturalization application files must in all cases include a statement of the applicant’s judicial records. Bulletin No. 2 of the criminal record is only required when it comes to people born in France or Algeria. These prescriptions also concern the minor children over 15 years of applicants. On January 30, this response was sent to the Resident General in Rabat.

On January 22, the Minister of Justice answered the question of the Minister of Foreign Affairs dated December 20, 1941 and told him that children born in Morocco to a foreign father and a French mother, cannot according to international law acquire French nationality at birth because the Protectorate « reserves the sovereignty of the Sultan in internal law ».

On January 29, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated to the Resident General in Rabat his question of July 12, 1941 as to what his position was on Xavier Vallat’s advice not to grant French nationality to Moroccan Jewish women married to French people. On January 31, the Minister of Justice wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to try to clarify the cases of refusal to grant nationality to these women. Should it be « solely in consideration of the origin and residence of the interested parties, when the information provided on the conduct, morals and loyalty of these foreigners is in all respects favorable to them » ? To support his arguments, the Minister of Justice attaches a letter sent to him by the Resident General in Rabat on January 15 concerning Miss Obadia Hassiba, wife of French citizen Emsellem, who is refused attribution of nationality. General Noguès argues : « The information gathered on the person concerned is not unfavorable. However, because of the Jewish quality of this foreigner, and in accordance with the point of view [of the Minister of Foreign Affairs], confirming […] the opinion of [Xavier Vallat], it does not seem appropriate that a favorable answer be reserved at her request ».