Marie-Françoise Poli

Michel Fansten was born in 1940 in Paris to Nahum and Rachel Fansten.
In 1941 Nahum was arrested and sent to Pithiviers, from where he was deported in 1942 to Auschwitz.
Rachel and Michel, now alone, stayed in Paris until July 1942, when they were both arrested in the Vel d’Hiv roundup. Somehow Rachel and Michel managed to run away and rushed back to Paris to hide. They received help from Suzanne Spaak (recognized as Righteous Among the Nations in 1985) and found a hiding place in Paris for a few days. Michel received a new identity, and from then until the liberation he was called Michel Breval. Rachel joined the resistance in Paris, and they went back to live in her apartment.
In 1943 Rachel decided to send Michel away for his own safety and in order to allow her to continue her activities in the Resistance. Through another member of the Resistance, she managed to find him a place with Dominique and Marie-Françoise Poli.
Dominique, a member of the Communist Party, lived in Achères-la-Forêt (Seine-et-Marne) with his wife, Marie-Françoise, and their two children, Laurent and Marie.
Dominique immediately agreed to shelter Michel despite the great risk to his family: his son Laurent was an active member of the Resistance. From then until 1946 Michel stayed safely with the Polis. He felt at home and became attached to the whole family. He called Dominique “Papa” and Marie-Françoise “Mamie.”
Rachel, who remained in Paris, came to visit her son a few times, despite the great risk of being discovered. She had to take the train and continue on foot for about 14 kilometers each time, until she arrived at the Polis’ house.
Michel was introduced to everyone in the neighborhood as a nephew of the family. Laurent and Marie took him under their care and treated him like a little brother. They played with him and even invented a little “game” in order to keep him safe without feeling fear or insecurity: whenever strangers came to the house they had a secret sign for Michel, and he had to run and hide under a pile of wood, specially made for him in the backyard, until he was called back inside. In this way, every time there was a search, he did not have to feel the fear of being discovered. In fact Michel had to run a few times toward the backyard to hide this way.
In July 1944 Laurent Poli was arrested for his underground activities and was shot to death a few days later. Despite the great sorrow that surrounded the Polis, they continued to keep their promise to keep Michel safe.
After the war Nahum, who managed to survive Auschwitz, came back to Paris to find his wife, who was also lucky and had survived. They both went to fetch Michel back and were reunited. After the war Nahum continued to visit the Polis, who had saved his son at their own expense and at great personal risk.
For about three years the Polis had taken full responsibility for Michel, despite all the risks, especially given the fact that their own son was wanted for his activities. After Laurent’s tragic death, Dominique and Marie-Françoise kept Michel safe and protected him until his parents came to take him back.
The strong connection that was made during the war between Michel and the Polis continued during the following years. Michel often went to visit them on vacations and to this day is still in touch with their grandchildren.
On November 20, 2012, Yad Vashem recognized Dominique and Marie-Françoise Poli as Righteous Among the Nations.