George Rodocanachi
Encyclopedia
George Rodocanachi was a British
-born physician of Greek
descent who helped Allied escapees and Jewish refugees in Vichy France
.
George Rodocanachi was born February 27 1875 in Liverpool
, England
, to a Greek family. He studied in Marseille
, received his medical degree in Paris in 1903 and opened his pediatric
practice in Marseille. 1907 he married Fanny Vlasto in London and they settled in Marseille. Their only child Constantine was born 1908.
At the outbreak of the First World War
, Rodocanachi was working in a children's hospital in Marseille. In 1915 he gained French citizenship and joined the French Alpine troops. He served in Alsace
and Somme, was once gassed and twice wounded and received the Croix-de-Guerre and the Legion d'Honneur
. After the war he returned to his practice.
During the World War II
, after Vichy France had accepted armistice with Nazi Germany
, Rodocanachi took contact with the British Sailor's Mission in Marseille and treated British soldiers who had missed the evacuation in Dunkirk. When the mission was closed by the Milice, he met Elizabeth Haydon-Guest and begun to work with her to hide escapees and Jewish refugees. When Ian Garrow
founded the Pat Line escape network, Rodocanachi's home in Marseille became one of the main safe houses of the network. Garrow also stayed there until the French police arrested him in 1941.
With the help of his wife and couple of associates, Rodocanachi helped numerous people, many of them downed Allied
airmen. He hid them in his house and arranged false identity papers until they could be helped to escape either through the Pyrenees
or a Royal Navy
submarine.
Rodocanachi also helped fleeing Jews that were shipped to USA through the US Embassy. US consulate named him examining doctor for the Jewish immigrants. He used his position to provide medical certificates to fleeing Jews to justify their immigration to USA.
Rodocanachi was also nominated for the medical board of the Michel-Lévy Hospital. The board made medical examinations to determine whether prisoners of war would be unfit for military service and hence could be repatriated
. Rodonacachi made his best to have as many men as possible to be declared unfit. The board ceased to function when Germans occupied rest of the France.
The secret work took its toll and his angina pectoris got worse over the years.
Eventually the Pat Line was betrayed. On February 25 1943 six Gestapo
men came to arrest Rodocanachi in his home. His wife later suspected that the house concierge
s had notified the Germans. Rodocanachi persisted in treating the other inmates in prison. On December 17 1943 Rodocanachi was moved to prison in Compiègne
and on January 17 1944 he was transferred to Buchenwald concentration camp. He died there in the spring on 1944.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born physician of Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
descent who helped Allied escapees and Jewish refugees in Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
.
George Rodocanachi was born February 27 1875 in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to a Greek family. He studied in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, received his medical degree in Paris in 1903 and opened his pediatric
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
practice in Marseille. 1907 he married Fanny Vlasto in London and they settled in Marseille. Their only child Constantine was born 1908.
At the outbreak of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Rodocanachi was working in a children's hospital in Marseille. In 1915 he gained French citizenship and joined the French Alpine troops. He served in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Somme, was once gassed and twice wounded and received the Croix-de-Guerre and the Legion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. After the war he returned to his practice.
During the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, after Vichy France had accepted armistice with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, Rodocanachi took contact with the British Sailor's Mission in Marseille and treated British soldiers who had missed the evacuation in Dunkirk. When the mission was closed by the Milice, he met Elizabeth Haydon-Guest and begun to work with her to hide escapees and Jewish refugees. When Ian Garrow
Ian Garrow
Captain Ian Garrow was a Scottish army officer with the Highland Light Infantry. Following the surrender of the Highland 51st Division at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux on the Normandy coast on 12 June 1940, Garrow evaded to Vichy France where he was interned....
founded the Pat Line escape network, Rodocanachi's home in Marseille became one of the main safe houses of the network. Garrow also stayed there until the French police arrested him in 1941.
With the help of his wife and couple of associates, Rodocanachi helped numerous people, many of them downed Allied
Western Allies
The Western Allies were a political and geographic grouping among the Allied Powers of the Second World War. It generally includes the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, the United States, France and various other European and Latin American countries, but excludes China, the Soviet Union,...
airmen. He hid them in his house and arranged false identity papers until they could be helped to escape either through the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
or a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
submarine.
Rodocanachi also helped fleeing Jews that were shipped to USA through the US Embassy. US consulate named him examining doctor for the Jewish immigrants. He used his position to provide medical certificates to fleeing Jews to justify their immigration to USA.
Rodocanachi was also nominated for the medical board of the Michel-Lévy Hospital. The board made medical examinations to determine whether prisoners of war would be unfit for military service and hence could be repatriated
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
. Rodonacachi made his best to have as many men as possible to be declared unfit. The board ceased to function when Germans occupied rest of the France.
The secret work took its toll and his angina pectoris got worse over the years.
Eventually the Pat Line was betrayed. On February 25 1943 six Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
men came to arrest Rodocanachi in his home. His wife later suspected that the house concierge
Concierge
A concierge is an employee who either works in shifts within, or lives on the premises of an apartment building or a hotel and serves guests with duties similar to those of a butler. The position can also be maintained by a security officer over the 'graveyard' shift. A similar position, known as...
s had notified the Germans. Rodocanachi persisted in treating the other inmates in prison. On December 17 1943 Rodocanachi was moved to prison in Compiègne
Compiègne
Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
and on January 17 1944 he was transferred to Buchenwald concentration camp. He died there in the spring on 1944.