- Jacques Renouvin
Jacques Renouvin (
6 October 1905 –24 January 1944 ) was aroyalist militant inFrance during theSecond World War and hero of theFrench resistance .Born in
Paris , Renouvin studied law and initially became a lawyer. He initially supportedAction française , but left after6 February 1934 . In November 1938 after theMunich agreement , he garnered attention by publicly slappingPierre-Étienne Flandin , who had thought it was a good idea to send a congratulatory telegram toAdolf Hitler . Renouvin was mobilised in 1939, and he was a volunteer for the "corps francs". He fought a brilliant campaign, being wounded and taken prisoner. He escaped from the hospital to which he had been brought.After demobilisation, he moved to the free zone in late 1940, and joined the underground movement "Liberté" created by a small group of Christian democrat teachers. Specifically responsible for
propaganda , he organised youth commandos in pursuit of this. After the merger between "Liberté" et "Les Petites Ailes " which gave rise to "Combat",Henri Frenay put Renouvin in charge of organising "Groupes francs" throughout the free zone. This position made him one of the most wanted resistance members by all the police.Renouvin was arrested on the
29 January 1943 by the "Gestapo " atBrive-la-Gaillarde railway station , along withMireille Tronchon whom he had married while in hiding. He was transferred toFresnes prison and tortured for several months before being deported toGermany on the29 August 1943 . Interned inMauthausen concentration camp , he died of exhaustion on24 January 1944 . He had a son,Bertrand Renouvin , from his marriage to Mireille Tronchon; Bertrand was born on15 June 1943 while his mother was still being held inLa Santé prison.A postage stamp of value 20
centime s was issued in 1961 in Renouvin's memory.References
* François-Marin Fleutot - "Des Royalistes dans la Résistance" - Flammarion, 2000. fr icon
* François Marcot (dir.) - "Dictionnaire historique de la Résistance" - Coll. Bouquins, Robert Laffont, 2006. fr iconExternal links
* [http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/838.html Ordre de la Libération] fr icon
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