Who was Jacques Solomon, and why does his name echo on a plaque here in Paris? The Jacques Solomon Plaque stands as a stark reminder of a life cut tragically short. It commemorates a brilliant physicist, a devoted communist, and a fervent résistant. Jacques Solomon, born in Paris in 1908, married Hélène Langevin, daughter of the renowned physicist Paul Langevin. He abandoned a promising medical career to pursue theoretical physics. His brilliance shone brightly, earning him a Rockefeller Foundation fellowship and the prestigious Peccot course at the Collège de France. But Solomon was more than just a scientist.
The Jacques Solomon Plaque tells a story of a man driven by conviction. He joined the Communist Party in 1934, witnessing firsthand the chilling rise of Nazism in Berlin. This experience solidified his commitment to justice and liberty. He became a secretary in the 5th arrondissement, working tirelessly for his beliefs. He collaborated with Georges Politzer on philosophical reflections and even translated Engels’ “Dialectics of Nature.” Solomon used his intellect to champion peace, serving as secretary for the Union of French Intellectuals for Justice, Liberty, and Peace.
This plaque attests to Solomon’s bravery during World War II. Mobilized into the health services, he later returned to Paris, where he and Politzer organized resistance within academic circles. They dreamt of a journal for intellectuals, a beacon of free thought during a time of darkness. This dream manifested as “Université Libre,” published clandestinely. Following Langevin’s arrest, Solomon and Politzer led protests at the Collège de France, their voices rising against the oppressive regime.
The Jacques Solomon Plaque marks a tragic turning point. Solomon, working under the pseudonym “Jacques Pinel,” became a key figure in “Université Libre,” its articles challenging Vichy’s antisemitism and obscurantism. He also contributed to “La Pensée Libre,” a continuation of the pre-war journal “La Pensée.” In 1942, while meeting for “Université Libre,” Solomon was arrested. Imprisoned and later handed over to the Germans, he was executed at Mont-Valérien, alongside Politzer and Bauer. His mother was later arrested and deported to Lublin-Majdanek. Solomon’s legacy, etched into this plaque, reminds us of the price of freedom and the courage of those who fight for it. His story, interwoven with scientific brilliance, political commitment, and unwavering resistance, serves as a potent symbol of intellectual defiance in the face of tyranny.