Armee Juive
Encyclopedia
Armée Juive or Jewish Army, was a Zionist resistance
movement in Nazi occupied World War II
France which was created during January 1942 in Toulouse. It was establish and led by Abraham Polonski
and his wife Eugénie, Lucien Lublin
a socialist and Russian poet David Knout
and his wife Ariane Skriabina (daughter of the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin
).
Armée Juive was originally called the Movement des Jeunesses Sionistes (M.J.S.) and later evolved into the Organization Juive de Combat (O.J.C.). Their intention was to protect threatened Jews and take their fighting skills back to Israel
to defend the creation of a Jewish State there. At its height, it numbered over 2,000 fighters and was primarily concerned with helping Jews escape to Spain via the Pyrenees
.
The first members of the AJ were recruited from a Torah
study group headed by Rabbi Paul Roitman (1920). They included Arnold Mandel, Elie Rothnemer Claude Strauss (writer Claude Vigée ) and Maurice Hausner. They received funds to finance their activities from Marc Jarblum, the socialist president of the Zionist Organization of France which was refuged
in Switzerland.
The Army became the Organisation Juive de Combat and was officially registered under the French Forces of the Interior
(FFI).
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
movement in Nazi occupied World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
France which was created during January 1942 in Toulouse. It was establish and led by Abraham Polonski
Abraham Polonski
For the American film director by the same name, see: Abraham PolonskyAbraham Polonski was born in Russia in 1913. He was one of the founders of the French Jewish Resistance movement, having previously worked as an electrical engineer in Toulouse.By June 1940, the French army had surrendered to...
and his wife Eugénie, Lucien Lublin
Lucien Lublin
Lucien Lublin, born 1909 in Brest-Litovsk and employed as electrical engineer. A socialist Zionist who became a leader of the French Jewish Resistance during World War II with Abraham Polonski and David Knout...
a socialist and Russian poet David Knout
David Knout
Dovid Knout , born in Orhei, Moldova is a Russian Jewish poet, who, with his wife Régine-Ariane and others, established a secret organization called La Main Forte which became the Armee Juive , a World War II resistance movement...
and his wife Ariane Skriabina (daughter of the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
).
Armée Juive was originally called the Movement des Jeunesses Sionistes (M.J.S.) and later evolved into the Organization Juive de Combat (O.J.C.). Their intention was to protect threatened Jews and take their fighting skills back to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to defend the creation of a Jewish State there. At its height, it numbered over 2,000 fighters and was primarily concerned with helping Jews escape to Spain via the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
.
The first members of the AJ were recruited from a Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
study group headed by Rabbi Paul Roitman (1920). They included Arnold Mandel, Elie Rothnemer Claude Strauss (writer Claude Vigée ) and Maurice Hausner. They received funds to finance their activities from Marc Jarblum, the socialist president of the Zionist Organization of France which was refuged
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
in Switzerland.
The Army became the Organisation Juive de Combat and was officially registered under the French Forces of the Interior
French Forces of the Interior
The French Forces of the Interior refers to French resistance fighters in the later stages of World War II. Charles de Gaulle used it as a formal name for the resistance fighters. The change in designation of these groups to FFI occurred as France's status changed from that of an occupied nation...
(FFI).
Placing my right hand on the blue and white flag,
I swear fidelity to the Jewish Army
And obedience to its leaders.
May my people live again,
May Eretz-Israel be reborn.
Liberty or death. - the oath of the Armee Juive.