Maurice Dubois saved the lives of dozens of Jewish children by smuggling them into Switzerland during World War II, a defiant act that violated French law and ignored the direct instructions of his superiors. This Swiss humanitarian, who served as a delegation leader for the Children's Aid of the Swiss Red Cross, spent years operating within southern France.
Early life and pacifism
Born in 1905 in Biel/Bienne, Dubois trained as a furrier. His worldview was shaped by his Quaker faith, which led him to serve as a conscientious objector throughout the 1930s, successfully avoiding military service in the Swiss army. During this period, he was also an active member of the international non-governmental organization Service Civil International. Between 1937 and 1939, he shifted his focus toward assisting children impacted by the Spanish Civil War.
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Following the outbreak of World War II, Dubois founded an organization called Swiss Aid for Children. By 1940, the Toulouse branch of this group was incorporated into the Swiss Red Cross, allowing him to act as a delegate for Swiss aid operations in the region. After Germany conquered Belgium in May 1940, Jewish children who had previously fled to Belgium moved into France. Dubois took these children into his organization's facilities and provided them with housing and support for two years, visiting them frequently alongside his wife, Ellen.
Intervention and rescue
In August 1942, French authorities began deporting Jews lacking French citizenship to concentration and extermination camps. When several children under his care were arrested and sent to the Vernet camp, Dubois took decisive action. He traveled to Vichy to meet with Marshal Philippe Pétain and René Bousquet. During these meetings, he threatened to suspend all Red Cross aid to French children if the captives were not released. Although he lacked formal authority for such a ultimatum and knew he lacked support from his superiors, the intervention succeeded. Despite his wife's failed attempts to secure official entry permits for these children, Dubois ultimately smuggled them into Switzerland.
Fast facts
- Born: 1905, Biel/Bienne
- Died: 1997, Le Locle
- Nationality: Switzerland
- Profession: Furrier, humanitarian
- Awards: Righteous Among the Nations (1985)
Questions readers ask
What recognition did Maurice Dubois receive for his wartime activities?
He was awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations in 1985.
How did he support Jewish children during the German occupation?
He housed them in facilities run by the Swiss Red Cross and eventually smuggled them into Switzerland in defiance of French law.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1985
