Guy Môquet
Encyclopedia
Guy Môquet was a young French Communist militant. During the German occupation of France during World War II, he was taken hostage by the Nazis and executed by firing squad in retaliation for attacks on Germans by the French Resistance
. Môquet came down in history as one of the symbols of the French Resistance.
Guy Prosper Eustache Môquet was born on 26 April 1924 in the 18th arrondissement
of Paris. He studied at the Lycée Carnot
and joined the Communist Youth Movement. After the occupation of Paris by the Germans
and the installation of the Vichy government
, he was denounced on 13 October 1940 and arrested at the Gare de l'Est metro station by three police officers of the French Anti-Communist Special Brigade. He was bearing a poem about three of his arrested comrades, hand-written by himself:
« [...]
Les traîtres de notre pays
Ces agents du capitalisme
Nous les chasserons hors d’ici
Pour instaurer le socialisme
[...]
Pour vous sortir de la prison
Pour tuer le capitalisme
[...] »
" [...]
The traitors of our country
These agents of capitalism
We will drive them away
In order to establish socialism
[...]
To get you out of jail
To kill capitalism
[...] "
Imprisoned in Fresnes Prison
, then in Clairvaux, he was later transferred to the camp at Châteaubriant
, where other Communist militants were detained.
On 20 October 1941, the commanding officer of the German occupation forces in Loire-Atlantique
, Karl Hotz, was assassinated by three communist resisters. Pierre Pucheu
, Interior Minister
of the government of Marshal Philippe Pétain
, chose Communist prisoners to be given as hostages “in order to avoid letting 50 good French people get shot.” His selection comprised 18 imprisoned in Nantes, 27 at Châteaubriant, and 5 from Nantes who were imprisoned in Paris.
Two days later, the 27 prisoners at Châteaubriant were shot in three groups. They refused blindfolds, and died crying out “Vive la France” (“Long live France”). Guy Môquet, the youngest, was executed at 4 pm
Before being shot, Môquet had written a letter to his parents. His younger brother, Serge – 12 years old at the time – was traumatised by the death of Guy and survived him only by a few days.
in Paris were named after him in 1946. Many other place names across France also bear his name and Châteaubriant dedicated a high school to him.
Louis Aragon
dedicated to him, along with three other resistants (Gabriel Péri
, Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves, and Gilbert Dru, altogether two Christians and two Communists), his poem “La rose et le réséda.” This poem contained the line “Celui qui croyait au Ciel / Celui qui n’y croyait pas”. (He who believed in Heaven \ He who believed not).
Guy Moquet was portrayed in a short film in French, La lettre ("The letter"), released in 2007, with the title role played by Jean-Baptiste Maunier
.
Following the release of the film, Moquet's final letter was ordered to be read in every high school in France on the anniversary of his death, by request of the President, Nicolas Sarkozy
. Some commentators disliked this example of political micro-management and some high schools resisted it.
to lycées from the Ministry of Education was widely interpreted as meaning that the formal reading of his letter at school was no longer a compulsory part of the curriculum. It called for "teaching time devoted to "bringing pupils and former resistants together, as well as the reading of texts: Guy Môquet's last letter to his family, letters of young condemned men or other texts demonstrating the participation of young people during those dark years in Europe". These readings were "left to the discretion of each [head-teacher]". However on 19 October 2009 the Ministry of Education clarified in the media that the later circular had not intended to make reading the letter optional. It controversially said that the teaching profession did not have a free hand in teaching what it wanted but were civil servants who must follow orders, which some viewed as ironic.
|date=2009-10-22
|work=Rue 989
|url=http://www.rue89.com/2009/10/22/journee-guy-moquet-ou-journee-sarkozy-dans-les-lycees-122669
|accessdate=2009-11-02
}}
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. Môquet came down in history as one of the symbols of the French Resistance.
Biography
XVIIIe arrondissement
The 18th arrondissement , located on the Rive Droite , is one of the 20 arrondissements of Paris, France...
of Paris. He studied at the Lycée Carnot
Lycée Carnot
The Lycée Carnot is a public secondary and higher education school located at 145 Boulevard Malesherbes in the 17th arrondissement, Paris, France. A prestigious Parisian high school, it is also known as one the best classe préparatoire aux écoles de commerce...
and joined the Communist Youth Movement. After the occupation of Paris by the Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and the installation of the Vichy government
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
, he was denounced on 13 October 1940 and arrested at the Gare de l'Est metro station by three police officers of the French Anti-Communist Special Brigade. He was bearing a poem about three of his arrested comrades, hand-written by himself:
« [...]
Les traîtres de notre pays
Ces agents du capitalisme
Nous les chasserons hors d’ici
Pour instaurer le socialisme
[...]
Pour vous sortir de la prison
Pour tuer le capitalisme
[...] »
" [...]
The traitors of our country
These agents of capitalism
We will drive them away
In order to establish socialism
[...]
To get you out of jail
To kill capitalism
[...] "
Imprisoned in Fresnes Prison
Fresnes Prison
Fresnes Prison is the second largest prison in France, located in the town of Fresnes, Val-de-Marne South of Paris...
, then in Clairvaux, he was later transferred to the camp at Châteaubriant
Châteaubriant
-Coat of arms:Two coats of arms are attributed :*First Pale: Blue, three gold fleurs de lys, Pales split in two by a shortened staff with a red hache....
, where other Communist militants were detained.
On 20 October 1941, the commanding officer of the German occupation forces in Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique is a department on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.-History:...
, Karl Hotz, was assassinated by three communist resisters. Pierre Pucheu
Pierre Pucheu
Pierre Firmin Pucheu was a French industrialist, fascist and member of the Vichy government.-Early years:...
, Interior Minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
of the government of Marshal Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
, chose Communist prisoners to be given as hostages “in order to avoid letting 50 good French people get shot.” His selection comprised 18 imprisoned in Nantes, 27 at Châteaubriant, and 5 from Nantes who were imprisoned in Paris.
Two days later, the 27 prisoners at Châteaubriant were shot in three groups. They refused blindfolds, and died crying out “Vive la France” (“Long live France”). Guy Môquet, the youngest, was executed at 4 pm
Before being shot, Môquet had written a letter to his parents. His younger brother, Serge – 12 years old at the time – was traumatised by the death of Guy and survived him only by a few days.
Legacy
Guy Môquet was arrested in 1940 distributing propaganda against the war, as was the Communist Party line since the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939. This policy reversed when Germmany invaded Russia in 1941, and the Commuinist party offered itself as the leader of French resistance to German occupation. Postwar propaganda argued that Commmunism deserved every patriotic Frenchman's support because of the heroism of Resistance heroes and Môquet was one of those thus celebrated, not least because of his now-famous last letter before his execution. A street and a Métro stationGuy Môquet (Paris Metro)
Guy Môquet is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro on the border of the 17th and 18th arrondissements.The station opened on 26 February 1911 as part of the Nord-Sud Company's line B from Saint-Lazare to Porte de Saint-Ouen. On 27 March 1931 line B became line 13 of the Métro. It was originally...
in Paris were named after him in 1946. Many other place names across France also bear his name and Châteaubriant dedicated a high school to him.
Louis Aragon
Louis Aragon
Louis Aragon , was a French poet, novelist and editor, a long-time member of the Communist Party and a member of the Académie Goncourt.- Early life :...
dedicated to him, along with three other resistants (Gabriel Péri
Gabriel Péri
Gabriel Péri was a prominent French Communist journalist and politician, and member of the French Resistance. He was executed by Nazi-occupied France during World War II.-Early life:Péri was born in Toulon to a Corsican family...
, Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves, and Gilbert Dru, altogether two Christians and two Communists), his poem “La rose et le réséda.” This poem contained the line “Celui qui croyait au Ciel / Celui qui n’y croyait pas”. (He who believed in Heaven \ He who believed not).
Guy Moquet was portrayed in a short film in French, La lettre ("The letter"), released in 2007, with the title role played by Jean-Baptiste Maunier
Jean-Baptiste Maunier
Jean-Baptiste Maunier , nicknamed JB or Jean-Bapt, is a French actor and singer famous for his role in the 2004 French film, Les Choristes.- Early life :...
.
Following the release of the film, Moquet's final letter was ordered to be read in every high school in France on the anniversary of his death, by request of the President, Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
. Some commentators disliked this example of political micro-management and some high schools resisted it.
2009 controversy
A 2009 circularto lycées from the Ministry of Education was widely interpreted as meaning that the formal reading of his letter at school was no longer a compulsory part of the curriculum. It called for "teaching time devoted to "bringing pupils and former resistants together, as well as the reading of texts: Guy Môquet's last letter to his family, letters of young condemned men or other texts demonstrating the participation of young people during those dark years in Europe". These readings were "left to the discretion of each [head-teacher]". However on 19 October 2009 the Ministry of Education clarified in the media that the later circular had not intended to make reading the letter optional. It controversially said that the teaching profession did not have a free hand in teaching what it wanted but were civil servants who must follow orders, which some viewed as ironic.
External links
- Guy Moquet’s last letter to his family and English
- the 2007 circular from the Ministry of Education to lycées
- Biography
|date=2009-10-22
|work=Rue 989
|url=http://www.rue89.com/2009/10/22/journee-guy-moquet-ou-journee-sarkozy-dans-les-lycees-122669
|accessdate=2009-11-02
}}