Joseph Boczov
Encyclopedia
Joseph Boczov or József Boczor, aka Ferenc Wolff (b. 3 August 1905, Felsőbánya
, Hungary
d. 21 Feb 1944, Fort Mont-Valérien
, France), was a chemical engineer
, Hungarian Jew, and volunteer fighter for the French liberation army FTP-MOI
. In 1942 Boczov founded and led the 4th detachment, called the dérailleurs, as they specialized in derailing trains. A specialist in explosives, Boczov had participated in military operations during the Spanish Civil War
. He was executed in 1944 by the Germans after a show trial in Paris of the Manouchian Group.
. He spent six months on the roads and in prisons before reaching his goal. While there, he applied his education to explosives warfare. After the defeat of the Spanish republic
and refugees' seeking shelter in France, the French interned him and other brothers-at-arms in the camps of Argelès
and Gurs
. Along with many of his compatriots, Boczov discarded his nationality. As a stateless person
, he was deported to Germany. Boczov was the leader of the Romanian group in the camp; he organised an escape during their deportation, and during the escape, he was the last to leave.
attack on the train station at Belleville
, where large quantities of goods were stored in the depots.
Boczov's detachment specialized in derailing SS
and Wehrmacht
trains. They first worked with simple tools, but refined their techniques as German surveillance improved. As a chemical engineer, Boczov faced with many challenges, and carried on with ingenuity and initiative. As the underground struggle unfolded to higher and higher levels, Boczov's intelligence and experience earned him the leadership of the 4th detachment, assigned to commit sabotage against the railways used by the German army.
From the 24 September 1943, Boczov saw he was being followed by the Brigades Spéciales n° 2 of the Renseignements généraux, so went into hiding. He used various addresses in Paris: 85, rue de Turbigo; 1bis, rue Lanneau; and 9, rue Caillaux. On 21 October 1943, Boczov, Léon Goldberg
and four other fighters left on a mission to stop a German convoy on the Paris – Troyes
line at Grandpuits
near Mormant
. They successfully derailed the train that night, but failed to notice they were being followed. In a firefight, three resistance fighters were killed or taken prisoner, and the others got away but were identified. The noose was tightening.
Joseph Boczov was arrested on 27 November 1943. Accused of having carried out 20 attacks (which surpassed his successes), he was brought before the military tribunal in February 1944 in a show trial of the Manouchian Group. He was shot at the fort mont Valérien on 21 February 1944 with 21 other members of the group.
Boczov was one of ten men of the Manouchian Group whose name and photo were featured on the Affiche rouge
German propaganda poster; he was described by the following:
Before the war, Boczov worked as a carpenter
and lived in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.
Baia Sprie
Baia Sprie is a town in the Maramureş County, northern Romania. The Hungarian version of the town's name means "Upper Mine".The town administers three villages: Chiuzbaia, Satu Nou de Sus and Tăuţii de Sus. Neighbouring communities are the city of Baia Mare and the villages of Groşi, Dumbrăviţa,...
, Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
d. 21 Feb 1944, Fort Mont-Valérien
Fort Mont-Valérien
Fort Mont-Valérien is a fortress in Suresnes a western Paris suburb, built in 1841 as part of the city's ring of modern fortifications...
, France), was a chemical engineer
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
, Hungarian Jew, and volunteer fighter for the French liberation army FTP-MOI
FTP-MOI
The Francs-tireurs et partisans – main-d'œuvre immigrée were a sub-group of the Francs-tireurs et partisans organization, a component of the French Resistance. A wing composed mostly of foreigners, the MOI maintained an armed force to oppose the German occupation of France during World War II...
. In 1942 Boczov founded and led the 4th detachment, called the dérailleurs, as they specialized in derailing trains. A specialist in explosives, Boczov had participated in military operations during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. He was executed in 1944 by the Germans after a show trial in Paris of the Manouchian Group.
Early life and education
Boczov was born into a Jewish Hungarian family. He studied science and math, and in college studied chemical engineering.War
At the age of 23, Boczov left his home town on foot to fight in Spain for the International BrigadesInternational Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
. He spent six months on the roads and in prisons before reaching his goal. While there, he applied his education to explosives warfare. After the defeat of the Spanish republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
and refugees' seeking shelter in France, the French interned him and other brothers-at-arms in the camps of Argelès
Argelès-sur-Mer
Argelès-sur-Mer is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies near Perpignan.-Geography:...
and Gurs
Camp Gurs
Camp Gurs was an internment and refugee camp constructed by the French government in 1939. The camp was originally set up in southwestern France after the fall of Catalonia at the end of the Spanish Civil War to control those who fled Spain out of fear of retaliation from Francisco Franco's regime...
. Along with many of his compatriots, Boczov discarded his nationality. As a stateless person
Statelessness
Statelessness is a legal concept describing the lack of any nationality. It is the absence of a recognized link between an individual and any state....
, he was deported to Germany. Boczov was the leader of the Romanian group in the camp; he organised an escape during their deportation, and during the escape, he was the last to leave.
Second World War
Migrating to Paris, Boczov arrived in the 1930s and became connected with the many other Hungarians there. After the Fall of France, when the first groups of the FTP were formed, he became chief of the first detachment of FTP-Immigrés, composed of Hungaro-Romanians from the region. He organized the first grenadeGrenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
attack on the train station at Belleville
Belleville, Paris
Belleville is a neighbourhood of Paris, France, parts of which lie in four different arrondissements. The major portion of Belleville straddles the borderline between the 20th arrondissement and the 19th along its main street, the Rue de Belleville...
, where large quantities of goods were stored in the depots.
Boczov's detachment specialized in derailing SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
and Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
trains. They first worked with simple tools, but refined their techniques as German surveillance improved. As a chemical engineer, Boczov faced with many challenges, and carried on with ingenuity and initiative. As the underground struggle unfolded to higher and higher levels, Boczov's intelligence and experience earned him the leadership of the 4th detachment, assigned to commit sabotage against the railways used by the German army.
From the 24 September 1943, Boczov saw he was being followed by the Brigades Spéciales n° 2 of the Renseignements généraux, so went into hiding. He used various addresses in Paris: 85, rue de Turbigo; 1bis, rue Lanneau; and 9, rue Caillaux. On 21 October 1943, Boczov, Léon Goldberg
Léon Goldberg
Léon Goldberg, called "Julien" was a Polish Jew and volunteer fighter in the French Liberation army FTP-MOI in the Manouchian Group.- Youth :...
and four other fighters left on a mission to stop a German convoy on the Paris – Troyes
Troyes
Troyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
line at Grandpuits
Grandpuits-Bailly-Carrois
Grandpuits-Bailly-Carrois is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
near Mormant
Mormant
Mormant is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne departement in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * * *...
. They successfully derailed the train that night, but failed to notice they were being followed. In a firefight, three resistance fighters were killed or taken prisoner, and the others got away but were identified. The noose was tightening.
Joseph Boczov was arrested on 27 November 1943. Accused of having carried out 20 attacks (which surpassed his successes), he was brought before the military tribunal in February 1944 in a show trial of the Manouchian Group. He was shot at the fort mont Valérien on 21 February 1944 with 21 other members of the group.
Boczov was one of ten men of the Manouchian Group whose name and photo were featured on the Affiche rouge
Affiche Rouge
The Affiche Rouge is a famous propaganda poster, distributed by Vichy French and German authorities in the spring of 1944 in occupied Paris, to discredit 23 French Resistance fighters, members of the Manouchian Group...
German propaganda poster; he was described by the following:
- "BOCZOV JUIF HONGROIS CHEF DÉRAILLEUR 20 ATTENTATS".
Before the war, Boczov worked as a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
and lived in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.
Sources
- F.F.I. – F.T.P.F., Pages de gloire des Vingt-trois, Paris: Immigration, 1951. (French)
External links
- c/La journée d'un "Terroriste" (French), Affiche Rouge
- Discours d'André SANTINI et Henry KARAYAN (French), Anciens Combattants Arménien) (Former Armenian Fighters)