Maurice, Paula's husband

Maurice Fradkoff (1915 - 1989)

Maurice Fradkoff was born in Geneva June 1st, 1915. His parents: Marc (Mordechai) Fradkoff and Slata- Paya (Faina) Fradkoff (nee Jaffe), came to Switzerland from Russia between the years 1910 - 1912. Marc Fradkoff was born in Voronej - then White Russia, and Slata Paya in Riga. The family traditionally mentions that they initially wanted to go to Sweden and came to Switzerland by mistake, mixing up "Schweiz" and "Shwedia" ( Switzerland and Sweden in Yiddish) . Is it a joke? Nobody knows, but everybody agrees that it was a very good choice! Another real traditional story includes the fact that the Fradkoff family was allowed to live in Russian cities like Moscow, St Petersburg and Voronej because some members served in the Czar army. Therefore they got the privilege to settle outside the Pale of Settlement where all Jews were obliged to live. The ancestor, Leib Fradkoff and his wife Dyssia came later. They are buried at the Carouge Jewish Cemetery, named a City Heritage spot by the Geneva City Hall.

Maurice spent his first years in Carouge living in the same apartment building as the other members of the family. Marc Fradkoff and his brothers had a small factory for hats (for women and men). It was very successful between the First and Second World War, hats were then very fashionable. After completing secondary school and obtaining his BsC in Classic studies the young Maurice studied Pharmaceutics at the Geneva University. He received then Swiss citizenship and enrolled in the Swiss Army. He served as a Medical Team Member (Paramedic), was conscripted during World War II for more than three years and received a Medal of Merit and a Certificate of Appreciation from General Guisan, then Commander of the Swiss Armed Forces.

At the end of the war Maurice was enrolled in a project organized by the Red Cross, the repatriation (bringing people back to their country and family) of Italian prisoners of war. He had comprehensive knowledge of the French, German and Italian languages. After successfully completing the assignment, Maurice humbly requested a stable job in the Red Cross. His application was rejected, "We do not accept people of your kind...". We hope that things have changed since then.

Maurice was very disappointed and hurt. His parents were busy with his younger brother, Ber Fradkoff, who had been diagnosed with diabetes juveniles. Then he met Paula Kleinman. They had been introduced to each other by common friends. They fell in love with each other. Maurice was in his early thirties, a kind, and handsome brown haired gentleman. Paula was a beautiful blue eyed blond young woman both intelligent and educated, but a penniless refugee. They had a hope to build a new life together.

Maurice worked for about twenty years at the ORT Organization in Geneva in the Archives Department, and then moved to another Organization where he was promoted Head of the Archives Department until he had a heart attack at the age of 63 years, when he had to retire. He was able to enjoy a pleasant quiet life despite a second heart attack and a successful triple coronary bypass, thanks to the devotion and care of his wife Paula. Finally he had a stroke that left him partially paralyzed and passed away shortly after at the age of 74 years.

Maurice was a quiet, somewhat shy, thoughtful man. He did not talk very much. He was kind, a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather and a good son. For many years he worked extra long hours to support his aging and dying parents. He was very talented in literature and poetry; he published some of his poems in several magazines and literary newspapers.

He was well known for his honesty and his integrity. As Grand Rabbi Alexander Safran said at his funeral :

"He was pure like a diamond".