Martin André

Martin, André Before the war Jacques and Mathilde Moussafir, originally from Rhodes, lived in Paris with their two children, Jean (b. 1926) and Claude (b. 1928). Because Rhodes was under the control of the Italian regime, they were protected and never bothered by the authorities. In March 1943 they decided to move to the Italian Zone in France, where they believed it would be safer. They settled in Nice together with Jacques’s parents, Isaac and Leah Moussafir. The Moussafirs lived in Nice until September 1943, when the Germans invaded the area, and they had to hide. Through family friends—the Darmons—they were sent to Annot (Basses-Alpes), an isolated village in the area, initially staying in a hotel, where apparently they met André Martin. André Martin was the local chief of police. He lived in Annot with his wife, Elisabeth, and their three children. The two families quickly became friends, as the children always played together. André, who knew of the imminent danger to his new friends, provided Jacques with a false birth certificate declaring he was not Jewish, but Muslim. He also found them a safer place to hide: a small apartment where they stayed until February 1944. Then, because someone betrayed the fact that there were Jews hiding in the village, André, who knew the Germans were coming, immediately advised the Moussafirs to leave their apartment. He personally took Jacques, his wife, and their children in his car to Ubraye, an isolated place about 14 kilometers away, where they stayed in a cabin in the woods with no electricity or water. Jacques’s parents were moved to another place in Annot. After about two difficult and dangerous weeks, André informed Jacques that they could come back to Annot. They were brought to André’s home, where Elisabeth made a special dinner for them. The Moussafirs were then reunited in the grandparents’ rented apartment. They all managed to stay there and survive until the end of the war, thanks to the courage of André and his family who, despite the well-known, great risks, continued to help their friends even after having heard about the denunciation. They never asked for any compensation in return. The friendship between the Martins and the Moussafirs stayed strong for many years after the war, and continues through their grandchildren. On December 17, 2013, Yad Vashem recognized André Martin as Righteous Among the Nations.