Alfred Nakache (1915–1983) was a Jewish

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

and

water polo Water polo is a competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with the ...

player. A member of the French team for the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympic Games, he also swam in the first post-war

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

in London in 1948. He is one of two Jewish athletes, as far as is known, to have competed in the Olympics after surviving the Holocaust.

Biography

Nakache set the world record in the 200 metre breaststroke with a time of 2:36.8 on 6 July 1941 in the long course seawater pool in Catalans in Marseilles. Since FINA at the time recognized world records set in either short course (25 metre) or long course (50 metre) pools for the 200 metre breaststroke, his record was easily broken by

Joe Verdeur Joseph Thomas Verdeur (March 7, 1926 – August 6, 1991) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. Career Verdeur was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had a sister, Theresa, and a brother, Edwa ...

in 1946 in a short course pool. If records were measured as they are today in long and short course pools, Verdeur would have broken Nakache's long course world record of 2:36.8 in 1948 at the US Olympic trials with a time of 2:36.3. With

Alexandre Jany Alexandre Charles Sixte "Alex" Jany (5 January 1929 – 18 July 2001) was a French freestyle swimmer and water polo player. As a swimmer, he competed in 100–400 m events at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics, alongside his sister Ginette Jany-S ...

and

Georges Vallerey Jr. Georges Vallerey Jr. (21 October 1927 – 4 October 1954) was a French swimmer, born in Amiens, who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were ...

, he broke the world record for 3 X 100m medley on August 8, 1946.Alfred Nakache, une vie à contre-courant Le Monde; Paris

aris Aris or ARIS may refer to: People * Aris (surname) Given name * Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer * Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player * Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano * Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter * Aris Howard, Former President of the Jama ...

4 May 2019 Nakache was inducted into the

International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame ( he, יד לאיש הספורט היהודי, translit=Yad Le'ish HaSport HaYehudi) was opened July 7, 1981 in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around ...

in 1993 and the

International Swimming Hall of Fame The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the stu ...

in 2019. He was the subject of a French documentary in 2001, entitled ''Alfred Nakache, the Swimmer of Auschwitz'' and the 2017 French documentary entitled “Nage Libre”, directed by Thierry Lashéras, coproduced by EVA Productions and France Télévisions, with the participation of French Olympic swimmer

Fabien Gilot Fabien Pierre Aurélien Dominique Gilot (born 27 April 1984) is a French Olympic and world champion swimmer. Early life Gilot was born in Denain, France, to Michel and Yveline Gilot. He started by playing water polo, before switching to swimmi ...

, in the steps of Nakache. At 12 August 1941 he had a French Jewish girl daughter named Annie Nakache, born in Constantine (Algeria). She lived in Toulouse. She was a daughter of the swimmer with Ms. Paule Nakache. In January 1944 she was deported to Auschwitz with her parents and later was murdered in a gas chamber with her mother Paule. (font: Memorial Auschwitz). After ending his career in Reunion Island, he died on August 4, 1983, following a malaise while swimming in the port of Cerbère. He is buried in the Le Py cemetery in Sète.

Records & championships

*World—200 m butterfly—1941 *World—relay 3 X 100 m3 strokes—1946 *Europe—100 m butterfly—1941 *France—400 m butterfly—1943 *France—relay 4 X 200 m freestyle—1946 *Champion of France—100 m freestyle in 1935–38, and 1941–42 *Champion of France—200 m freestyle in 1937–38, and 1941–42 *Champion of France—200 m butterfly in 1938, 1941–42, and 1946 *Champion of France—400 m freestyle in 1942 *Champion of France—relay 4 X 200 m freestyle in 1937–39, 1942, 1944–52 (13 titles, including 9 consecutive) *University champion—100 m freestyle in 1936 *Champion of North Africa—100 m freestyle in 1931

Maccabiah Games The Maccabiah Games (a.k.a. the World Maccabiah Games; he, משחקי המכביה, or משחקי המכביה העולמית; sometimes referred to as the "Jewish Olympics"), first held in 1932, are an international Jewish and Israeli multi-sp ...

silver medal in 1935–100 m freestyle

References

External links

Jewish Sports bioJews in Sports bioAlfred Nakache
in

Yad Vashem Yad Vashem ( he, יָד וַשֵׁם; literally, "a memorial and a name") is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; honoring Jews who fought against th ...

website {{DEFAULTSORT:Nakache, Alfred Sportspeople from Constantine, Algeria 1915 births 1983 deaths Male butterfly swimmers French male freestyle swimmers 20th-century French Jews Jewish swimmers Olympic swimmers of France Olympic water polo players of France Swimmers at the 1936 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1948 Summer Olympics Water polo players at the 1948 Summer Olympics French male water polo players World record setters in swimming Auschwitz concentration camp survivors Algerian Jews European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming

Biography

Records & championships

See also

References

External links