Maurice Rajsfus, writer, journalist, activist and historian specializing in "police violence", which he identified since May 1968, died Saturday June 13 at the age of 92, announced his son Marc Plocki to AFP.
"A tireless anti-racist and anti-fascist activist, Maurice Rajsfus was one of the creators of 'Ras l'Front' in the early 1990s and host of the newsletter 'What is the police doing?' who denounced the violence and the arbitrary police for almost 25 years , "said her son.
Survivor of the Vel d'Hiv roundup
Rescued, at 14, from the Vel d'Hiv roundup, he became interested as a historian in this event and made himself known by a first work on the UGIF (General Union of Israelites of France) entitled " Des Jews in collaboration ”. Called as a defense witness at the trial of Maurice Papon, he refused to obey the summons and was finally excused.
Read also: The roundup of the Vel d'Hiv, symbol of collaboration with the Nazi regime
Defender of the Palestinian cause, he made several trips to the Middle East and produced several books on the subject in the mid-90s. Author of sixty books in all, he had recently entrusted Liberation with his wish to transmit his archives of articles around "police violence", meticulously organized from 1968 to 2014.
"Friend, your rage is not lost!"
Many tributes were paid to him on Twitter, notably that of Ian Brossat, deputy to the City of Paris and spokesperson for the PCF: " What a pain to learn of the death of Maurice Rajsfus, author of several books on police violence. He was a friend of my parents and I had the chance to meet him in his apartment in Fontenay-aux-Roses. Admiration and gratitude ”.
“ Maurice Rajsfus has just left us after an uneven six week fight against the disease. We will continue his struggles for justice and emancipation. Friend, your rage is not lost! Reacted Libertalia Editions, which had published it.