Jacques Chirac, the French president who was the first to recognise his country’s role in the Holocaust, has died at the age of 86.
He remained one of the most recognised figures of French politics until his death, remembered both for his staunch opposing to the 2003 war in Iraq and for failing to tackle unemployment and violence in impoverished suburbs.
Among French Jews, he is known for the historic speech he delivered at the Vel d’Hiv deportation memorial shortly after taking office in 1995.
“July 16th 1995 is the first date that comes to my mind among all the strong moments in President Chirac’s presidency,” Francis Kalifat, leader of the Jewish community group Crif, told the JC.
“Chirac recognised France’s responsibility in the deportation of Jews to death camps. There was a before and an after that historic speech.”
Until 1995, French leaders had said France bore no responsibility for the actions of Nazi Germany and the Vichy regime, the puppet regime during the Second World War.
But Mr Chirac upended the position by saying: “Those dark hours have tarnished our past forever. They’re an insult to France’s history and traditions.”
He will also be remembered for his decision in the final months of his presidency to memorialise French citizens who put their lives at risk to help Jews during the Second World War.
“Jacques Chirac decided in 2007 to honour the Righteous Among the Nations by placing a memorial in their honour in the Pantheon, where France’s heroes are buried,” Mr Kalifat said.
“It was a very strong signal that he sent.”
Many in the French Jewish community criticised the late president for his staunch opposition to Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
That tension was apparent in an outburst Mr Chirac had while visiting the old city of Jerusalem in October 1996.
Trying to shake hands with the crowd and tour the city, he saw security forces pushing journalists and passers-by, which led him to shout at the officers in English: “What do you want? For me to go back to my plane and go back to France? Then let them go! Let them do! This is not a method! This is a provocation!”
The outburst, which was recorded by television cameras, was seen by “everyone around the world”, Mr Kalifat said.
But the Crif leader added Mr Chirac was “a great man, the last dinosaur of great French leaders. He followed de Gaulle’s political legacy and never strove away from it.
“He’ll leave a legacy of his own. He created a political movement that still exists today.
“On a personal level, as far as Crif goes, we’ll never forget the way Chirac hosted a celebration marking Crif’s 60th anniversary in the presidential palace.”
