José Aboulker

José Aboulker was born on 5 March 1920 in the Algerian capital Alger into a Jewish family. His father, Henri Aboulker, was a surgeon and professor in the Faculty of Medicine in Alger. His mother, Berthe Aboulker, was a woman of letters.

In April 1940, José Aboulker, studying medicine at the time, was mobilised as an officer cadet. He was demobilised in February 1941.

José Aboulker and the Algerian Resistance

In September 1940, he had founded a resistance network in Alger, in partnership with his cousin Roger Carcassonne who had done the same at Oran, and he subsequently became one of the main leaders of the Algerian Resistance movement. The 2 cousins met Henri d'Astier de la Vigerie, with whom they prepared the French assistance to the future Allied landings, in collaboration with Colonel Germain Jousse and Consul Robert Murphy, President Roosevelt's representative in Alger.

The headquarters for the preparation were at José's father's house, at 26 Rue Michelet.

On the night of the Allied landings in North Africa, the 8 November 1942, José Aboulker commanded the occupation of Alger by 400 members of the Resistance, at the central police station, with his deputy Bernard Karsenty and the help of Guy Calvet and Superintendent Achiary.

Led by their group leaders, all of the Resistance fighters, with the exception of the reserve officers, neutralised the command centres, occupied strategic positions and stopped the military officials and civilian supporters of the Vichy government, starting with General Juin, the Commander-in-chief, and Admiral François Darlan.