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Jewish area-Rue des Rosiers

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Paris -4th arr-Marais-Jewish area-Rue des Rosiers

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Covered in the 12th century with wild rose bushes, the rue des Rosiers is the heart of the Jewish area since the Middle Ages. It is now one of the most attaching and lively areas of the Marais. Since hey made money and had some fortune, they were envied by the non -Jewish and expelled for a while. But the French Revolution gave them permission to return. In 19th century, the rue des Rosiers became the center of the Ashkenaze refugees (Central Europe), fleeing bloody pogroms, so called unprovoked but in fact duly organized by the official authorities. And you can imagine what happened between 1930 –1940 when nazism took over in Germany and Austria. 

One of the most revolting pages of French history was written here on the 16th of July 1942 with what stayed a shame and black spot on French history: the "Rafle du Vel'd'Hiv". About 4,500 French policemen, lead by René Bousquet arrested 13,000 Jews at their homes, mostly from the rue des Rosiers and quartier Saint-Paul . Older men, women, children, babies, all were assembled in the old Velodrome d’hiver (sort of covered cycling stadium), transported to Drancy and handed over to the S.S. and deported by cattle trains to various destinations like Auschwitz, Birkenau, Bergen –Belsen and more of these “resorts”.11,000 never came back.  
 It is only a few years ago, that president Chirac apologized publicly for the involvement of French police in that matter. Mitterand and his predecessors never admitted it. Sic transit gloria mundi....

When you enter the area today, you will notice that the "Ashkenaz" Jews are outnumbered today by the "Sepharad" ones (from North Africa).  But it stays a like a picturesque village: the "kosher" shops, with ritual products, oriental specialties, libraries and boutiques selling cult instruments, without forgetting the snack-bars and restaurants "Jo Goldenberg"(rumors said they might close down) and the pastry parlor "Chez Finkelsztajn", 27 rue des Rosiers.  

All this with Yiddish language as background, traditional Hebrew music and Hebrew inscriptions everywhere. Ancient houses, often pretty, constantly in activity with people of which everybody knows everyone. Jewish solidarity is not a vain expression. But lately, chic boutiques are trying to buy out small commerces and to " embourgeoise" the sector. The modern trends succeeded to set a foot even here. The beginning of the street is modernizing lately and housing trendy clothing boutiques. But if you walk a little further you'll see the food sector with its restaurants, cafes and hotels also spreading rue Alexandre Duval and rue des Ecouffes.
Continue rue des Rosiers until rue Vieille du Temple. Always crowded, in full renovation it is full of galleries, curiosity shops and all sorts of commerces next to venerable ancient hotels particuliers like no.15, hotel de Bissaye (1650), no.30 "cafe du Petit Fer a cheval" which conserved its original zinc counter in horseshoe form and its ancient clientele, when at no.42 "Amnesia" attracts a more trendy and young customer. At no.47, hotel Amelot de Bisseuil, one of the most sumptuous in Paris. Beaumarchais lived here and wrote his "Mariage de Figaro" (Marriage of Figaro) in this house. Which gave us later this masterwork of music, written by Mozart" Le Nozze de Figaro".

Bibliography:--Vie et histoire des arrondissements de Paris, ed.Hervas (1985-1988) --Nouvelle Histoire de Paris, ed.Hachette --Le Pieton de Paris, by L.P.Fargue, ed.Gallimard 1997 --Histoire et dictionnaire de Paris, by A.Fierro, ed.Laffont, 1996 --Dictionnaire historique des rues de Paris, by J.Hillairet, ed.Minuit    --Dictionnaire des monuments de Paris, by J.Colson and M.C.Lauroa, ed.Hervas 1992 --Guide du Routard 1998-1999 (Ed.Hachette) --Paris, 2000 d'histoire, by J.Favier, ed.Fayard 1997 --Naissance de Paris, by M.Fleury, ed.Imprimerie Nationale 1997 --Paris 19eme siecle, l'immeuble et la rue, by F.Loyer, ed.Hazan, 1994