Description

An investigation is carried out for several months to determine whether the brothers Henri and Charles BOUCHARA as well as their sister Gilette were or not of the Jewish religion.

October 30, 1941 – The Commissioner General for Jewish Questions writes to the Prefect of Constantine to inform him that he has warned Doctor Henri BOUCHARA “that he is a Jew under the terms of the law of June 2, 1941 and that so he must do census.

March 9, 1942 – The Governor General of Algeria writes to the Prefect of Constantine that he is informed by the Commissioner General for Jewish Questions that Dr. Henri BOUCHARA, “from two Jewish grandparents, must be considered Jewish, for, although he was summarily baptized in October 1939, he was not baptized until June 24, 1941. He had to… participate in the operations of census of the Jews…”. He adds that the brother and sister of Dr. BOUCHARA were not registered either, and “if these two people cannot establish having adhered before June 25, 1940 to other than the Jewish religion, they will also have to … subscribe to declarations…”.

March 25, 1942 – The Commissioner, Head of the Special Departmental Police writes to the Prefect of Constantine to give him an account of the filiation of the interested parties (Editor’s note : their grandmother seems to have both non-Jewish parents), and that “Gilette BOUCHARA spouse of BRET Henri was baptized by a Catholic priest on October 12, 1934 at the Church of Agha, Algiers, as evidenced by a baptismal certificate which was presented to us. BOUCHARA Charles, who cannot establish his adherence to other than the Jewish religion, declares to have been registered as a Jew in Algiers on 9-7-1941 as attested by a receipt held by Me MARBOT, Solicitor “.

April 27, 1942 – The Mayor of Constantine informs the Prefect that the BOUCHARA brothers had already been registered in the Municipality of Algiers, and he specifies “that their sister Gilette… a teacher maintained in service, is currently the subject of an investigation on behalf of the Special Police to define her citizenship”.

May 9, 1942 – The Prefect of Constantine writes to the Governor General of Algeria to confirm that the BOUCHARA brothers have been registered as Jews in Algiers, and that “under these conditions, it does not seem that sanctions are to be considered in against Doctor BOUCHARA… With regard to Miss Gilette BOUCHARA, the baptismal certificate which was issued to her in Algiers does not bear the legalization of the signature by the ecclesiastical authority, the person concerned was invited to do what is to be done…” .