Ordre de la Libération
Encyclopedia
The Ordre de la Libération (“Order of the Liberation”) is a French Order
awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II
. It is an exceptional honor, the second highest after the Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour
) and only a small number of people and military units have received it, exclusively for deeds accomplished during World War II. A different order, the Médaille de la Résistance
, was created and awarded for less distinguished deeds in the Resistance
.
, in the order n° 7 signed in Brazzaville. The aim of the Order is to “reward people, or military or civilian communities, who will have distinguished themselves in the work of liberating France and her Empire”.
There are no criteria relating to age, sex, rank, origin or nationality, nor are there any requirements in the nature of the deeds, apart from their exceptional quality.
The Order has one single rank, awarding the title of Compagnon de la Libération (“Companion of the Liberation”). General de Gaulle, founder of the Order, has been the only Grand Maître (“Grand Master”) of the Order.
The last award was given on 23 January 1946.
(symbol of the Free French Forces
), and with the Latin motto “PATRIAM SERVANDO VICTORIAM TULIT” on the reverse (“By serving the Fatherland, he/she achieved Victory”). The ribbon has the colors black for mourning, and green for hope, symbolizing the state of France in 1940. The first ribbons had diagonal black stripes, British-style; from August-September 1942 on, the subsequent versions had two vertical black stripes.
The medal is usually given in the military ceremonial of the taking of arms. The relevant person would be called by his rank and name, and given the insignia while being told: Nous vous reconnaissons comme notre Compagnon pour la libération de la France dans l’honneur et par la Victoire (“We acknowledge you as our companion for the Liberation of France, in honour and by Victory”).
Notably, six women were awarded the title :
Also, nearly 10% of the recipients of the Order were younger than 20 at the beginning of the war. The youngest, Mathurin Henrio
, was 14 when he was shot dead by Nazi officers for refusing to answer questions on the whereabouts of Maquisards
.
The Order was re-opened twice to honor foreign personalities who helped liberate France:
The complete list of recipients is available at http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_doc/liste_compagnons.pdf
On 18 June 1996, at Mont Valérien, the 17 military units which had been awarded the Cross of Liberation were given a green and black fourragère
by President Jacques Chirac
.
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It is an exceptional honor, the second highest after the Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
) and only a small number of people and military units have received it, exclusively for deeds accomplished during World War II. A different order, the Médaille de la Résistance
Médaille de la Résistance
The French Médaille de la Résistance 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,...
, was created and awarded for less distinguished deeds in the Resistance
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...
.
History
The Ordre de la Libération was instituted on 16 November 1940 by General de GaulleCharles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, in the order n° 7 signed in Brazzaville. The aim of the Order is to “reward people, or military or civilian communities, who will have distinguished themselves in the work of liberating France and her Empire”.
There are no criteria relating to age, sex, rank, origin or nationality, nor are there any requirements in the nature of the deeds, apart from their exceptional quality.
The Order has one single rank, awarding the title of Compagnon de la Libération (“Companion of the Liberation”). General de Gaulle, founder of the Order, has been the only Grand Maître (“Grand Master”) of the Order.
The last award was given on 23 January 1946.
Insignia
The medal of the Order is called Croix de la Libération (“Cross of the Liberation”). It is a bronze rectangular shield with a gladium carrying a cross of LorraineCross of Lorraine
The Cross of Lorraine is originally a heraldic cross. The two-barred cross consists of a vertical line crossed by two smaller horizontal bars. In the ancient version, both bars were of the same length. In 20th century use it is "graded" with the upper bar being the shortest...
(symbol of the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
), and with the Latin motto “PATRIAM SERVANDO VICTORIAM TULIT” on the reverse (“By serving the Fatherland, he/she achieved Victory”). The ribbon has the colors black for mourning, and green for hope, symbolizing the state of France in 1940. The first ribbons had diagonal black stripes, British-style; from August-September 1942 on, the subsequent versions had two vertical black stripes.
The medal is usually given in the military ceremonial of the taking of arms. The relevant person would be called by his rank and name, and given the insignia while being told: Nous vous reconnaissons comme notre Compagnon pour la libération de la France dans l’honneur et par la Victoire (“We acknowledge you as our companion for the Liberation of France, in honour and by Victory”).
Recipients
1061 crosses have been awarded :- 1038 to people
- 18 to units of the Army, Air Force or Navy
- 5 to towns: NantesNantesNantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, GrenobleGrenobleGrenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Vassieux-en-VercorsVassieux-en-VercorsVassieux-en-Vercors is a commune in the department of Drôme in southeastern France.The town is known for its assistance to the French Resistance during World War II, for which it was awarded Ordre de la Libération.-Geography:...
and l’Île de SeinÎle de SeinThe Île de Sein is a French island in the Atlantic Ocean, off Finistère, 8 kilometres from the Pointe du Raz , from which it is separated by the Raz de Sein. Its Breton name is Enez Sun...
.
People
Amongst the 1036 Fellows, 65 were killed before the end of the War (8 May 1945), and 260 received the distinction posthumously. Often, the Order was awarded to people according to their nom de guerre, which was a common practice in the Resistance.Notably, six women were awarded the title :
- Berty AlbrechtBerty AlbrechtBerty Albrecht was a French Resistance Fighter, born Berthe Wild at Marseille, 15 February 1893. She died in 1943 at Fresnes.-Life:Born into a middle-class Protestant family, she married the Dutch banker Frédéric Albrecht in 1918...
http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/9.html, co-founder of the movement Combat, who died in the prison of Fresnes in 1943 - Laure DieboldLaure DieboldLaure Diebold, sometimes written Laure Diebolt was a high-profile female member of the French Resistance during World War II. She was also the private secretary of Jean Moulin before being arrested then deported from 1943 to 1945 to the Nazi camp of Auschwitz, Ravensbrück and finally Buchenwald...
http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/287.html, liaison agent of the “Mithridate” network and secretary to Jean MoulinJean MoulinJean Moulin was a high-profile member of the French Resistance during World War II. He is remembered today as an emblem of the Resistance primarily due to his role in unifying the French resistance under de Gaulle and his courage and death at the hands of the Germans.-Before the war:Moulin was...
, deported. - Marie Hackin http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/449.html, died at sea in February 1941 on a mission
- Marcelle Henry http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/464.html of the VIC escape network, died shortly after returning from deportation
- Simone Michel-LévySimone Michel-LévySimone Michel-Lévy was a French Resistance worker. She had several pseudonyms - Emma, Françoise, Madame Royale, Mademoiselle Flaubert or Madame Bertrand - and is one of 6 female compagnons de la Libération .-Life:Joining the staff of the PTT in 1924, she was allowed into the...
http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/678.html, of the Postmen Resistance, died while deported - Émilienne Moreau-EvrardÉmilienne Moreau-EvrardÉmilienne Moreau-Evrard was a French heroine of World War I, a high-profile female member of the “Brutus” Resistance network during World War II and later, a member of the “Assemblée consultative provisoire”...
http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/327.html, hero of the First World War, agent for the “Brutus” network and later member of the Assemblée Consultative Provisoire
Also, nearly 10% of the recipients of the Order were younger than 20 at the beginning of the war. The youngest, Mathurin Henrio
Mathurin Henrio
Mathurin Henrio, alias Barrioz was a young French resistant shot dead by German soldiers for refusing to answer questions on the whereabouts of maquisards. He is the youngest recipient of the Ordre de la Libération....
, was 14 when he was shot dead by Nazi officers for refusing to answer questions on the whereabouts of Maquisards
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
.
The Order was re-opened twice to honor foreign personalities who helped liberate France:
- Former Prime Minister Winston ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
(1958) - King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
(1960, posthumously)
The complete list of recipients is available at http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_doc/liste_compagnons.pdf
Military units
Military units as a whole have been awarded the title of Compagnon de la Libération.On 18 June 1996, at Mont Valérien, the 17 military units which had been awarded the Cross of Liberation were given a green and black fourragère
Fourragère
The fourragère is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, that is shaped as a braided cord. The award has been firstly adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.- History :...
by President Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
.
Armée de Terre
- Bataillon de Marche n°2
- 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade13th Foreign Legion Demi-BrigadeThe 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade is a mechanized infantry demi-brigade in the French Foreign Legion. It is the only permanent demi-brigade in the French Army, and is a unit of particular notoriety and reputation within the Legion...
- Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine et du Pacifique
- Régiment de Marche du Tchad
- 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment2nd Marine Infantry RegimentThe 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest marine units in the French Army, as part of the troupes de marine.The 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French army is the only one to carry 15 names on its battle flag and the inscription "AFN 1952-1962"...
- 1st Colonial Artillery Regiment
- 1/3ème Régiment d’Artillerie Coloniale
- 1er Régiment de Marche de Spahis Marocains (August 7, 1945) and Colonel Jean RémyJean RémyJean Stanislas Rémy, commonly known as Jean Rémy, was a French colonel, a member of the Free French, and a Companion of the Liberation.- Biography :...
in 1944 - 501ème Régiment de chars de Combat
Marine
- Sous-marin RubisRubis (1931)The Rubis was a Saphir-class minelaying submarine which served in the French Navy and Free French Navy during the Second World War...
- Corvette Aconit
- 1er Régiment de Fusiliers Marins
Armée de l’Air
- 1ère Escadrille de Chasse
- Régiment de Chasse Normandie-NiemenNormandie-NiemenThe Normandie-Niemen Regiment was a fighter squadron, later regiment of the French Air Force. It served on the Eastern Front of the European Theatre of World War II with the 1st Air Army...
- 2ème Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes de l’Armée de l’Air
- Groupe de Bombardment Lorraine
- Groupe de Chasse Ile-de-France
- Groupe de Chasse Alsace
Cities
- NantesNantesNantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
: awarded on 11 November 1941
“heroical city which, since the crime of capitulation, has opposed a fierce resistance to any sort of collaboration with the enemy. Occupied by German troops and subject to the harshest sort of repression, has given to the French, by numerous individual and collective actions, a magnificent example of courage and fidelity. By the blood of her martyr children, just shown to the whole World the French will for a national Liberation”.
- GrenobleGrenobleGrenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
: awarded on 4 May 1944
“Heroical city at the vanguard of the French Resistance and of the combat for Liberation. Clothed in her pride, opposed a fierce fight at every instant to the Germans, despite the arrest and the massacre of her best sons. Despising the interdictions given by the invaders and their accomplices, demonstrated on 11 November 1943 her certainty of Victory and her will to take part to it. On 14 November and the 2nd of December 1943, responded to the reprisals and the execution of the chiefs of the Resistance movements by the destruction of the ammunition depot, barracks, transformators and factories used by the enemy. Have served the Fatherland well.”
- ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
awarded on 24 March 1945
“Capital faithful to herself and to France, demonstrated, under the enemy occupation and oppression, and in spite of the voices of abandon and treason, her unshakable resolution to fight and to win. By her courage in the presence of the invader and by the indomitable energy with which she sustained the harshest of the trials, deserved to stay as the example for the Nation in its entirety. On 19 August, in cooperation with the Allied and French armies, has stood to drive away the enemy through a series of glorious fights begun in the Cité and swiftly spread to all points of the city. In spite of heavy losses sustained by the French Force of the Interior standing within her, has liberated itself through her own efforts and, united with the vanguard of the French Army come to her rescue, has, on 25 August, reduced the German to his last stands and made him capitulate.”
- Vassieux-en-VercorsVassieux-en-VercorsVassieux-en-Vercors is a commune in the department of Drôme in southeastern France.The town is known for its assistance to the French Resistance during World War II, for which it was awarded Ordre de la Libération.-Geography:...
: Awarded on 4 August 1945
“Village of the Vercors which, thanks to the patriotism of her inhabitants, has totally sacrificed herself for the cause of the French Resistance in 1944. Main parachuting centre for the Allied air force on the plateau, has always helped by all means the military of the Maquis in the gathering of arms. Violently bombed on 14 July, attacked by 24 German gliders on the 21st and 22 July, had 72 of her inhabitants massacred and the entirety of her houses burned down by a merciless enemy. Martyr of her faith in the resurrecting of the Fatherland.”
- l’Ile de SeinÎle de SeinThe Île de Sein is a French island in the Atlantic Ocean, off Finistère, 8 kilometres from the Pointe du Raz , from which it is separated by the Raz de Sein. Its Breton name is Enez Sun...
: Awarded on 1 January 1946
“Confronted to the enemy invasion, has refused to abandon the battlefield which it hers: the Sea. Has sent all of her children to the fight under the flag of Free France, hence becoming the example and symbol of all of Brittany.”