A member of a rich Jewish banking family in France, with his regiment, the Anciens Cuirassiers, he was captured by the Germans close to the Belgian border. He was taken to Nienberg near Hamburg but, when he was found out planning to escape, was taken to Colditz, then to Luebeck, one of the toughest POW camps. There he was re-united with his brother, Alain, and both were fortunate in being treated as captured officers, thus avoiding the extermination camps.

While in Colditz, Elie had written to his childhood sweetheart, Liliane Fould-Springer, and asked her to marry him, which they did by proxy. Her parents thought her foolish to take on the Rothschild name with the Nazis in control of France.

After the war, Elie, Alain and their wives shared the Avenue de Marigny property. Elie, a would-be playboy, was a friend of Prince Aly Khan and knew Gianni Agnelli. However, he worked hard in the family banking business and also at Chƒteau Lafitte, which wine experts have long considered to be one of the greatest vineyards. He is also a great collector of art and owns works by Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Dubuffet and Picasso.

Liliane was the family intellectual---very bright, a voracious reader, an exceptional designer and decorator. However, she was neither pretty nor attentive to her husband. In 1952, when his wife
was pregnant with their third child, he met Pamela Churchill. However, it took considerable time before their relationship developed. Early in 1953 his wife's sister died, followed by the death of her
step-father and the collapse of her mother. For a year Liliane went into seclusion and would see no-one or do anything. Only then was his relationship with Pamela established.

Pamela's affaire with the unmarried Gianni Agnelli had been quite open, but now discretion was required they never went out together in public. Elie adored her and many years later still regarded her the love of his life. However, when Liliane found out she was devastated. Forty years later she would still refer to Pamela only as "that woman".

Source: Leo van de Pas