Médaille de la Résistance

Médaille de la Résistance
The medal with officer's rosette
Awarded by  France
Type	Medal with two degrees: Médaille de la Résistance Officier's Médaille de la Résistance
Awarded for	"remarkable acts of faith and of courage that, in France, in the empire and abroad, have contributed to the resistance of the French people against the enemy and against its accomplices since June 18, 1940"
Status	Discontinued 31 March 1947
Statistics
Established	9 February 1943
Posthumous awards	20,000
Distinct recipients	64,000
Precedence
Next (higher)	Croix de la Valeur Militaire
Next (lower)	Ordre des Palmes Académiques
Ribbon bar of the medal

The French Médaille de la Résistance (Medal of the Resistance) was awarded by General Charles de Gaulle "to recognise the remarkable acts of faith and of courage that, in France, in the empire and abroad, have contributed to the resistance of the French people against the enemy and against its accomplices since June 18, 1940".

The Médaille de la Résistance was given to approximately 44,000 living persons and 20,000 posthumously, awarded both for membership of the Free French forces and for participation in the metropolitan clandestine Resistance during the German occupation of France in World War II. Higher deeds were rewarded with the Ordre de la Libération. The medal ceased to be awarded on 31 December 1947 in Indochina and globally on 31 March 1947.

The medal is held by red and black cloth with the Cross of Lorraine and the date of the beginning of the German occupation of France in Roman figures: XVIII.VI.MCMXL (18 June 1940). On the reverse are the words "PATRIA NON IMMEMOR" ("the Fatherland does not forget"). The medal exists in two ranks: simple medal, and medal with officier's rosette which was awarded to 4,253 people. The medal was also awarded to 21 army units, 14 Navy units, 6 towns, schools and hospitals, and to 9 others including convents.

See also

• Ribbons of the French military and civil awards

References

• "History: Médaille de la Résistance". Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Libération. 28 october 2006. http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/us_doc/medaille.html. Retrieved 2009-02-06. 

• "Officier's Médaille de la Résistance". Le Port des Décorations. 08 July 2004. http://medaille.decoration.free.fr/France/P_Medaille/M_Resistance.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-06.  (French)

External links

• La Commission nationale de la Médaille de la Résistance (French)