James Gustave Jules (Alain) de Rothschild (1910-1982)
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James Gustave Jules Alain de Rothschild, (known as Alain), was born on avenue Friedland on 7 January 1910 and died in New York in 1982. A leader of the Jewish community in France, he served his country in the 2nd World War, earning the Croix de Guerre after five years as a prisoner of war. On his return to France from America in 1947, he became a partner in the Paris House and served on the board of the Nord railway company.
Alain graduated from the Ecole libre des Sciences politiques in 1931 and after his military service spent some time in America. In these years, he was a keen amateur pilot. He married Mary Chauvin du Treuil on 26 January 1938. From the late 1940s, Alain invested his considerable energies in the service of the Jewish communities of France and Israel.
From 1949 until his death he was the president of the Jewish Welfare Committee of Paris, and directed the Chantiers du Consistoire, which oversaw the construction of 19 synagogues in Paris. He was the president of the Central Consistory from 1967, and in 1973 took over the presidency of the Fondation Rothschild.
Alain de Rothschild, photographs, c.1916
000/1325, 1 item
Photograph of Alain (1910-1982), and his sisters Diane (1907-1996) and Cécile (1913-1995) as children, c.1916.
Alain de Rothschild, publications, 'Consistoire Central: Annuaire', 1933
000/1289/01, 1 volume
Consistoire Central: Annuaire (Paris: Direction Administrative du Consistoire Central, 1980), a directory of synagogues and Jewish organisations across France. Includes a preface by Alain de Rothschild.
Alain de Rothschild, publications, 'La Juif dans la Cité', 1984
000/1289/2, 1 volume
La Juif dans la Cité: discours et conferences, Alain de Rothschild (Imprimerie Jourdan, Paris, 1984). Posthumously collected articles, lectures, addresses, etc, wirtten between 1954-1982 and representing Alain de Rothschild's dedicated commitment to the causes of the Jewish community in France, as active head of numerous Jewish societies and president of the Paris Consistory.
Alain de Rothschild, volumes of caricatures, 1905; 1949
000/2456, 2 volumes
Volumes of caricatures, fromthe collection of Alain de Rothschild:
- 70 Dessins de Capiello, (Libraire H.Floury, Paris, 1905). The book depicts 70 designs by Leonetto Cappiello of caricatures of notable people at that time. Imprinted by G. Richard, 7 Rue Cadet, Paris. Leonetto Cappiello (1875-1942) was a French-Italian poster art designer and painter, who mainly lived and worked in Paris. He is often called 'the father of modern advertising' because of his innovation in poster design. This volume bears bookplate of Alain de Rothschild;
- La Bourse par Siss, Editions Chantelune, Paris, 1949, No 285 of 1000. Black and white prints of caricatures of famous men of the French Stock market.
Alain de Rothschild, official certificates, 'Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur', 1953
000/2737/1, 1 item
Certificate of the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur awarded to James Gustave Jules Alain de Rothschild [James Gustave Jules Alain (Alain) de Rothschild (1910-1982)], Vice President de la Fondation Rothschild à Paris, from the République Française, 30 December 1953.
Alain de Rothschild, official certificates, 'Ordre du Mérite Centreafricain', 1972
000/2737/2, 1 item
Certificate of the Ordre du Mérite Centreafricain awarded to James Gustave Jules Alain de Rothschild [James Gustave Jules Alain (Alain) de Rothschild (1910-1982)], Président de la Compagnie du Nord à Paris, from the République Centrafricaine [Central African Republic], 31 July 1972.
Alain de Rothschild, sale catalogue of collections, 'Bibliothèque du Baron Alain de Rothschild', 2006
000/2937/2, 1 volume
Alain de Rothschild (1910-1982): sale catalogue, Bibliothèque du Baron Alain de Rothschild, Sotheby's, 24 May 2006.
Alain de Rothschild, sale catalogue of collections, 'Collection R.', 2023
000/2993, 1 volume
Sale catalogue, Collection R., Thierry de Maigret, Hotel Drouot, 8-9 June 2023. The consignors were descendants of Baron Alain de Rothschild (1910-1982).