Frédéric Cerfberr
Encyclopedia
Frédéric Cerfberr
Frédéric Cerfberr (October 27, 1786, Strasburg
—September 18, 1842, at sea on a voyage from New York
to France
) was a French diplomat and a Jew.
Being fond of travel and foreign languages, he obtained (in 1809), under Napoleon, the appointment as secretary of the imperial commissariat in the Ionian Islands
. Later he successively represented France as consul at New York (1822), New Orleans, Haiti (1827-32), and again in Haiti as consul-general, distinguishing himself in all three offices. In 1826, when the French government could find no representative for Santo Domingo, on account of an outbreak there of yellow fever, Cerfberr freely offered his services. On learning the miserable state to which the inhabitants of Les Cayes
were reduced in consequence of an earthquake, Cerfberr dispatched at his own expense a ship loaded with food and other needful articles.
Cerfberr fell a victim to his devotion to duty. The destructive earthquake at Haiti on May 7, 1842 killed his only daughter, and injured him so severely that he died on his voyage home.
Frédéric Cerfberr (October 27, 1786, Strasburg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
—September 18, 1842, at sea on a voyage from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a French diplomat and a Jew.
Being fond of travel and foreign languages, he obtained (in 1809), under Napoleon, the appointment as secretary of the imperial commissariat in the Ionian Islands
Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e...
. Later he successively represented France as consul at New York (1822), New Orleans, Haiti (1827-32), and again in Haiti as consul-general, distinguishing himself in all three offices. In 1826, when the French government could find no representative for Santo Domingo, on account of an outbreak there of yellow fever, Cerfberr freely offered his services. On learning the miserable state to which the inhabitants of Les Cayes
Les Cayes
Les Cayes , is a town and seaport in southwestern Haiti, with a population of approximately 45,904 people . Estimates from 2008 place the population at close to 70,000 people...
were reduced in consequence of an earthquake, Cerfberr dispatched at his own expense a ship loaded with food and other needful articles.
Cerfberr fell a victim to his devotion to duty. The destructive earthquake at Haiti on May 7, 1842 killed his only daughter, and injured him so severely that he died on his voyage home.