VANTOUX, VALLIERES, MÉY and GRIMONT. A Jewish community in the neighborhood of Metz from the 17th to the 20th century. History, genealogy, cemetery. by Jean-Pierre BERNARD and Pascal FAUSTINI.

279 pages, format 21x29,7, ISBN 2-912785-24-3.

This book traces back the existence of an ancient Jewish community spread on four villages at the door of Metz, on the East side.
The first part, mainly historical, displays the birth and development of this community from the 17th century on. First traces were found by Pascal Fautini in 1639. But its real creation takes place between 1666 and 1702 and it can be followed until the French Revolution and further.
The second part is genealogical It provides in alphabetical order the different family stems originating in this community, beginning with their founders. About fifty families, the most important of which are the families CREHANGE, FRANCFORT, HAYEM, LAZARD (or BENEDIC). In their descendants we find the Préfet Robert HAYEM and Raymond AUBRAC, one of the famous resistants to the nazis.
The last part, due to Jean-Pierre Bernard, is an exhaustive inventory of the tombs of the Jewish cemetery of Vantoux (opened in the 18th century). More than 200 tombs have been inventoried. For each of them, one can find its picture, the name and family links of the deceased as well as the translation of the inscription (due to the kind help of Professor Simon Schwarzfuchs).
Many family trees can be found in the second part.
This book is dedicated to the late Michel CREHANGE, who passed away in May 2001 and was at the origin of this project.