Raymond Burgard
Encyclopedia
Raymond Burgard was a French Resistance
worker.
in origin, he aggregated in grammar in 1928. In September 1937, he was made literature professor at lycée Buffon
in Paris
. A trade union
ist, he was the candidate for the Syndicat des personnels de l'enseignement secondaire (SPES) in the elections to the Conseil supérieur de l'Instruction publique (CSIP) in May 1938. In September he joined the anti-Munich
camp.
A resistor right from the start, he founded the resistance movement in Valmy
on 21 September 1940, with four friends from the left-leaning Catholic group Jeune République
. The group produced several posters, posted on Paris walls or over German posters. One proclaimed Vive la République, quand même (Long live the Republic, whatever happens). Burgard also edited tracts in German aimed at sapping the occupying troops' morale and encouraging them to disobey their officers. In January 1941, he prepared the first edition of the journal Valmy
, of which only 50 copies were printed. Burgard edited its editorial, entitled Certitudes .
Thinking himself protected by his Alsacian origins, Raymond Burgard openly participated in the organisation of demonstrations, even encouraging his students to take part in that of 11 November 1940. In 1941, he participated in the commemoration of Joan of Arc
at which several people sang la Marseillaise.
The Valmy was dimsantled in spring 1942 and Raymond Burgard was arrested at his home by the Geheime Feld Polizei (GFP) of the Abwehr
on 2 April 1942. Some lycéens
of the lycée Buffon
demonstrated in favour of his release, and were arrested and shot. In 1943, his wife posed for La femme assise by René Iché
. Burgard was beheaded in prison at Cologne
, on 15 June 1944.
interview of Paul Simon
(interviewer - Jean Oberlé
) on 3 February 1942 (published in Les Voix de la Liberté, Documentation Française, 1975) ran thus
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...
worker.
Life
AlsacianAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
in origin, he aggregated in grammar in 1928. In September 1937, he was made literature professor at lycée Buffon
Lycée Buffon
The lycée Buffon is a secondary school in the XVe arrondissement of Paris, bordered by boulevard Pasteur, the rue de Vaugirard and the rue de Staël. Its nearest métro station is Pasteur. Jean-Claude Durand is its current proviseur....
in Paris
Paris
Paris 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...
. A trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist, he was the candidate for the Syndicat des personnels de l'enseignement secondaire (SPES) in the elections to the Conseil supérieur de l'Instruction publique (CSIP) in May 1938. In September he joined the anti-Munich
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
camp.
A resistor right from the start, he founded the resistance movement in Valmy
Valmy
Valmy is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.-Geography:The town stands on the west flank of the Argonne massif, mid-way between Verdun and Paris, near Vouziers.-History:...
on 21 September 1940, with four friends from the left-leaning Catholic group Jeune République
Ligue de la jeune République
The Young Republic League was a French political party created in 1912 by Marc Sangnier, in continuation of Le Sillon, Sangnier's Christian social movement which was disavowed by the Pope Pius X...
. The group produced several posters, posted on Paris walls or over German posters. One proclaimed Vive la République, quand même (Long live the Republic, whatever happens). Burgard also edited tracts in German aimed at sapping the occupying troops' morale and encouraging them to disobey their officers. In January 1941, he prepared the first edition of the journal Valmy
Valmy
Valmy is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.-Geography:The town stands on the west flank of the Argonne massif, mid-way between Verdun and Paris, near Vouziers.-History:...
, of which only 50 copies were printed. Burgard edited its editorial, entitled Certitudes .
Thinking himself protected by his Alsacian origins, Raymond Burgard openly participated in the organisation of demonstrations, even encouraging his students to take part in that of 11 November 1940. In 1941, he participated in the commemoration of Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
at which several people sang la Marseillaise.
The Valmy was dimsantled in spring 1942 and Raymond Burgard was arrested at his home by the Geheime Feld Polizei (GFP) of the Abwehr
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
on 2 April 1942. Some lycéens
Five Martyrs of the lycée Buffon
The Five Martyrs of the Lycée Buffon were five students from the Lycée Buffon shot by the Germans in Paris at the Stand de tir de Balard on 8 February 1943 for their activities with the French Resistance. Also, their families were taken hostage...
of the lycée Buffon
Lycée Buffon
The lycée Buffon is a secondary school in the XVe arrondissement of Paris, bordered by boulevard Pasteur, the rue de Vaugirard and the rue de Staël. Its nearest métro station is Pasteur. Jean-Claude Durand is its current proviseur....
demonstrated in favour of his release, and were arrested and shot. In 1943, his wife posed for La femme assise by René Iché
René Iché
For the town in Morocco see Iche, MoroccoRené Iché was a 20th century French sculptor.-Life and work:...
. Burgard was beheaded in prison at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, on 15 June 1944.
Journal Valmy
A BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
interview of Paul Simon
Paul Simon (disambiguation)
Paul Simon is an American musician and songwriter.Paul Simon may also refer to:* Paul Simon , American politician from Illinois* Paul Simon , British punk rock and New Wave drummer from Yorkshire...
(interviewer - Jean Oberlé
Jean Oberlé
Jean Oberlé was a French painter who became a member of the French Resistance.Born in Brest in 1900, he illustrated a number of contemporary books and worked for different Parisian newspapers and magazines, of which le Crapouillot was the most important.He won the Prix Blumenthal in 1934.In 1940,...
) on 3 February 1942 (published in Les Voix de la Liberté, Documentation Française, 1975) ran thus
- J. Oberlé : Why have you chosen this title ?
- P. Simon : Because the battle of ValmyBattle of ValmyThe Battle of Valmy was the first major victory by the army of France during the French Revolution. The action took place on 20 September 1792 as Prussian troops commanded by the Duke of Brunswick attempted to march on Paris...
was the first battle of the RevolutionFrench RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
in which the French beat the Prussians. It was also because our little journal bears the motto, below the title, "Only one enemy, the invader". - J. Oberlé : And how have you produced your journal ?
- P. Simon : It wasn't easy. The first issue was prepared in January '41. We printed it with a child's printing press. It took us a month to print 50 copies. Each copy consisted of a single sheet of paper, printed front and back.