Destin d'un juif de Chine

Destin d’un Juif de Chine by Rémi Huppert is a historical novel detailing the true, transnational journey of the Kaspe family. Fleeing Russian pogroms, they build a prosperous life in Harbin, China. The sweeping saga follows them through the Japanese occupation, anti-Semitism in Europe, and eventual refuge in Mexico. The narrative begins when Yosef and Malka Kaspe escape Belarus in 1906, settling in Harbin, a cosmopolitan city in Manchuria. The parents achieve spectacular social success, allowing them to send their two sons, Semyon and Vladimir, to France in 1926 to study music and architecture. However, tragedy strikes in 1932 when Semyon, an acclaimed concert pianist, is assassinated in Harbin by anti-Semitic Russians while on tour. Vladimir and their mother, Malka, remain in France until 1942. Fleeing the Nazi occupation, they relocate to Mexico, where Vladimir rebuilds his life and becomes a highly celebrated architect. The book is an evocative tribute to the resilience of a Jewish family displaced across three continents—spanning China, Europe, and Latin America—while balancing the drive for a new future with the painful memory of the past.