Franco-Israeli Historian and Resistance Fighter Lucien Lazare Dies at 101

Franco-Israeli historian Lucien Lazare, a former resistance fighter and expert on Jewish resistance in France and the "Righteous Among the Nations," passed away in Jerusalem on Tuesday at the age of 101, his family announced. Born in Strasbourg in 1924, Lazare joined the French Resistance during World War II at a young age. He was a member of the Éclaireurs Israélites de France (Jewish Scouts of France) and participated in combat that led to the liberation of Castres in 1944.

After the war, Lazare pursued a career in education and held leadership positions within the Jewish community of Strasbourg. In 1968, he and his family immigrated to Israel, where he later directed a high school in Jerusalem. He often described himself as a historian of the Resistance, dedicating much of his work to those who saved Jews during the Holocaust.

Lazare was a member of the commission responsible for designating the Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem and authored numerous books on Jewish resistance. He also coordinated a dictionary of the Righteous in France. On his 100th birthday, he noted he was one of the last surviving members of the armed Resistance in France.

Beyond his combat experience, Lazare advocated for non-violence, viewing those who risked their lives to save Jews from deportation as "non-violent resistors." In a 2022 interview, he summarized his message to future generations as "banish hatred." Lazare was also the father-in-law of Avraham Burg, a former Speaker of the Knesset.