Fanny Rappaport, daughter of Charles Rappaport, Communist leader of France and called by Jaures the wittiest Frenchman since Voltaire, was shot and possibly fatally wounded by a former officer of General Wrangel’s army.
The officer, whose name is Katzenelson, is believed to be an apostate, called at the Rappoport home and asked to see the Communist leader.
When informed by Mile. Rappoport that her father was out and asked if there was any message, Katzenelson replied “So you’re his daughter!”. Wereupon he drew a revolver and shot the young woman. Leaving her at her door, he went to the nearest police station and surrendered himself.
Katzenelson has been long unemployed. Lately he had been working in Paris as a cleaner and is believed to have been nursing a grievance against Communists.
Mlle. Rappaport was removed to a hospital where it was later said some hope is entertained for her recovery. Her mother was killed not long ago in a railway accident.
Fanny Rappaport is twenty-two years old and was in her senior year at medical school. Her father is native of Vilna. He has been living in Paris for over a quarter of a century and is considered a foremost leader of the French Communists.
For a long time Rappaport had aggressively fought Communism, but a visit to Russia in 1921 resulted in a change of views. Rappaport is now principal contributor to “L’Humanite”, the French Communist organ.
Rappaport was absent during the shooting of his daughter, being in Strassburg where he is seeking to establish a communist German-language daily.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
