Français
PolskiCécile DENEMARK
I) Cécile’s birth and marriage in Paris
Cécile Rosenfield was born in Paris on October 13, 1888. Her parents were Ber Rosenfield and Anna Landomann. Her husband, Erakhmiel, also known as Raymond, Denemark, was born in Augoustov, Russia, on February 23, 1876[1]. His parents were Aisik Neivakhvitch Denemark and Sara Naphtaliovna. He migrated to France sometime before the First World War, although we do not know exactly when. He most likely came to France to begin or pursue his studies in dental surgery. He was naturalized as a French citizen by decree on April 12, 1913[2]. Cécile and Erakhmiel were married on June 5, 1913 in Paris, after which they began their life together at 201 rue Temple.[3] Later in 1913, Erakhmiel began his military service for his newly adopted homeland: France.
II) Her husband served for France
On August 1, 1914, Erakhmiel was called up to serve in the French armed forces as part of a general mobilization order[4]. He arrived at the Châlons-sur-Marne infantry regiment camp on August 12[5] and was appointed Corporal Nurse on October 30, 1914[6]. He was later diagnosed with chronic hepatitis, which made him unfit to serve on the front line, and on October 15, 1915, the Vitré reform board relegated him to the auxiliary service behind the front lines[7]. On June 13, 1916, he was transferred to the 10th nursing section. He was then appointed military dentist by the 10th region health service on September 27, 1916[8]. Next, he was assigned to the 22nd section of military nurses, then to the 5th section of military nurses. He was “placed on indefinite demobilization leave on February 4, 1919, and released from all military duties on November 10, 1923”[9]. In recognition of his involvement in the conflict, Erakhmiel was awarded the French Great War commemorative medal.
III) The family grew larger
Following the birth of their first child, Joseph Irwing Denemark, on October 8, 1918, Cécile and Erakhmiel moved to a new apartment at 35 rue Maubeuge. On March 20, 1923, the family grew larger, with the arrival of a baby girl, who they named Jacqueline Nadia[10]. It was this address that gave us some insight into Cécile and Erakhmiel’s family life. The 1936 census reveals that their children were still living with them, and that the family, which was presumably quite well-off, had hired a maid by the name of Julie Galland. It also says that Cécile did not go out to work and that their son, Joseph, was a student[11].
According to one of Erakhmiel Denemark’s great-nieces, some of the Denemark family emigrated to the United States in the 1930s. Ten years or so before the outbreak of the Second World War, Erakhmiel’s brother, the great-niece’s grandfather, traveled back to France in 1938 to try and persuade Erakhmiel, Célile and their family to move to the United States too, but to no avail[12].
IV) A period of turmoil
After he came home from the war, Erakhmiel Denemark became a dental surgeon, working from his home at 35 rue de Maubeuge in Paris. In 1931, he was awarded the title of Officer of Public Instruction, in honor of his outstanding contribution to vocational education[13]. However, on November 21, 1941, during the German occupation, all foreigners practicing medicine in France were forbidden to continue. By a decree published in the French Official Gazette on April 22, 1943, Erakhmiel was no longer authorized to practice as a dentist[14].
During the Occupation, the Denemark family continued to live at 35 rue de Maubeuge, in the 9th district of Paris. On July 27, 1944, at around 12:30 p.m., the French police arrested them in their home[15]. The following day, they were handed over to a transporter named Paré and taken to the Drancy camp at around 3pm[16]. Cécile, although she was a French citizen, was deemed to be “deportable” immediately, as were the rest of her family members. She and her daughter were sent an area off a specially designated staircase with the other prisoners who were soon to be deported. They only spent a few days in the transit camp before being deported to the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp on Convoy No. 77 on July 31, 1944. They arrived at the camp during the night of August 3-4, 1944 and Cécile was most likely sent to the gas chambers and murdered immediately. (After the war, the French authorities decided to use August 5 as the official date of death for all of the Convoy 77 deportees who were murdered by the Nazi regime soon after they arrived in Auschwitz)[17].
V) After the war
After the war, Erakhmiel’s brother returned to Paris to search for him, but in vain[18]. On September 27, 1946, Anna Rosenfeld, Cécile’s mother, who was not deported, began the necessary formalities to have all the family members officially recognized as political deportees[19].
Anna Rosenfeld died in 1951, so was unable to complete the formalities required to have Cécile granted “political deportee” status, nor to request that she be declared to have “Died for France” or “Died during deportation”, both of which the French authorities introduced at a later date.
Notes & references
[1] File on Erakhmiel Denemark, Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs and Victims of War, N°32 656, File on Erakhmiel Denemark, Victims of Contemporary Conflicts Archives Division of the French Ministry of Defense Historical Service, in Caen, file ref. 21 P 442 638
[2] Naturalization decree in the name of Erakhmiel Denemark published in the French Official Gazette on April 12, 1913.
[3] Prefecture of the Seine department, Extract from the marriage register, Lot- N°14 517.
[4] Erakhmiel Denemark’s military service record (1921), Paris City archives
[5] Ibidem
[6] Ibidem
[7] Ibidem
[8] Ibidem
[9] Ibidem
[10] File on Erakhmiel Denemark, research form N°22, applicant reference 32 653 116, Victims of Contemporary Conflicts Archives Division of the French Ministry of Defense Historical Service, in Caen, file ref. 21 P 442 638
[11] 1936 census of the 9th district of Paris, Paris City archives.
[12] Testimony of Nicole Wynn, Erakhmiel Denemark’s great niece.
[13] French Official Gazette, Laws and Decrees, published on March 14, 1931.
[14] French Official Gazette dated April 22, 1943.
[15] Certificate from the Paris Police Headquarters depot dated July 27, 1944.
[16] Ibidem
[17] File on Erakhmiel Denemark, Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs and Victims of War, Legal department, files and civil status office – Deported person, Form N°17, Victims of Contemporary Conflicts Archives Division of the French Ministry of Defense Historical Service, in Caen, file ref. 21 P 442 638.
[18] Testimony of Nicole Wynn, Erakhmiel Denemark’s great niece.
[19] File on Erakhmiel Denemark, Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs and Victims of War. N°32 656. Part of N°1 & N°2, Victims of Contemporary Conflicts Archives Division of the French Ministry of Defense Historical Service, in Caen, file ref. 21 P 442 638.
