Attempt to Explain a Mellah

José Bénech

1940

September 7, 1912. The French enter Marrakesh. Marching through the Djema el Fna Square, surrounded by his general staff, Colonel Mangin is surprised to hear, amid the discordant noises of the crowd, some children belting out a rousing “Marseillaise.” Thus do the Alliance’s youth greet the dawn of a new order. It is no longer a dream.

A few decrees…

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A mellah is a walled Jewish quarter found in many Moroccan cities. José Bénech’s monograph, published in Paris, is considered a classic study of these spaces. His book provides a historical account of the mellah in Marrakech. He details its internal organization and describes synagogues, markets, and the social hierarchy that separated rich and poor residents. Bénech, a French civil servant (no definitive historical record confirms that he was Jewish, though his surname does not rule out the possibility), wrote this study to provide a scientific “explanation” for a space that appeared chaotic to European eyes. At the time, colonial authorities sought to understand local populations to better manage taxation and urban planning.
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