Public Pressure for French Hamlet to Change Its Name from "La-Mort-aux-Juifs," or "Death to Jews"

Tradition.

A prominent Jewish group has demanded a tiny hamlet south of Paris called "Death to Jews" be renamed.

Shimon Samuels, the director of international affairs for the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, wrote to Bernard Cazeneuve, France's interior minister, saying he was "shocked to discover the existence of La-mort-aux-Juifs".

...

However, the deputy mayor of the village of Courtemaux -- population 289 -- which has jurisdiction over the hamlet located around 60 miles south of Paris, dismissed the concerns.

"It's ridiculous. This name has always existed," Marie-Elizabeth Secretand told AFP.

"No one has anything against the Jews, of course. It doesn't surprise me that this is coming up again," she added.

It kinda doesn't surprise me that it's "coming up again" either. Matter fact, I also won't be surprised if it keeps coming up still more in the future.

This is a tiny place -- just a farm and two houses. That's why few have noticed the town's name is, no I'm serious about this, "Death to Jews." That's not some kind of mistranslation, and there is no alternate meaning.

Via Le Monde (translated):

"To change the name would require a decision of the municipal council, but this would stun me," [the mayor] said further. "Why change a name which started in the Middle Ages, or even further back? We must respect these old names."

"Hear, hear!" said the mayor of the neighboring village, Hitler-Had-A-Point-You-Know.

Gotten from Truth Revolt.

posted by Ace at 04:31 PM

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