Richard Benguigui

Richard Benguigui was born in Oran, Algeria, on March 31, 1937. At the time of Richard‘s birth, Algeria was part of France, and was home to nearly 120,000 Jews. Seeking a better life for her children, Mrs. Benguigui moved the family shortly before World War II to the bustling port city of Marseilles, France. When the Germans conquered France in 1940, the 350,000 Jewish residents found themselves the targets of ever-growing persecution.

The Germans divided France, occupying all of the north, allowing French collaborators to rule most of the southern zone, where Richard lived. The government in the south was directly responsible to the Germans and usually cooperated with them against the Jews. On July 31, 1943, Richard’s mother was arrested by French collaborators and was deported to Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland, where she was subjected to horrific medical experiments. Richard, 6 years old, was sent with his two brothers to live in the children’s home in Izieu. The children’s home in Izieu was run by staff who did everything they could to brighten up the lives of the children with picnics and other pleasurable activities.

In November 1942, the Germans occupied all of France. Now, no Jew was safe. On April 6, 1944, the Nazis came for the children of Izieu. The Benguigui brothers and their friends at the home were deported to Auschwitz one month later. Richard and his two brothers were murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz in May 1944.

Jews first came to what is now known as Algeria over 1500 years ago. Algeria’s Jewish community numbered approximately 30,000 when the area was taken over by France in 1830. Forty years later, Algerian Jews were awarded French citizenship. As a result of the new opportunities afforded them, large numbers of Algerian Jewry rapidly assimilated into the prevailing culture around them. These new opportunities also angered local antisemites, and hundreds of Jews were murdered by Arab rioters. This ongoing situation was in part responsible for the decision of many Algerian Jews to move the France. On the eve of World War II, Algeria’s Jewish population still numbered over 115,000.