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Stanley Booker, MBE, RAF (Ret.), Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur“Stew blends the dark history of buildings in Paris that are associated with the infamous deeds of the Gestapo with contrasting insights into the bravery of the French people, who, at great risk to themselves and their families, secretly resisted the German Occupation.”
Jane Gabin, Amazon customerLavishly illustrated, gripping guide to the Paris that existed under Nazi rule.
This is a fantastic new book that provides extensive information for both those planning a trip and for armchair historians. While there are are walks that take you past famous places made infamous by Nazi rule, there is also a lot of detailed information. Stew Ross provides details about many topics that are not necessarily popular, including anti-semitism and collaboration. Photos add poignancy. Paris is haunted by its past, and these pages show you exactly why. The days of the Occupation and the Resistance are not that distant.
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What happened to the boy child Madeline birthed by Leon Faye?
Hello Michelle;
Thank you for reaching out to us with your question! There is virtually no information on her son other than he was born in June 1943 and Marie-Madeleine gave him to her assistant, Monique Bontionck, for the purpose of hiding him in a safe house located in the south of France. I contacted Lynn Olson, author of “Madame Fourcade’s Secret War.” She responded by saying the boy survived the war and was reunited with his mother after the liberation. In 1946, Marie-Madeleine Méric (her name during the war) married Hubert Fourcade and he adopted the baby and raised him alongside their three children: Florence, Jacques, and Pénélope. Other than that, I couldn’t find out much more. After the war, Marie-Madeleine was a very private person and never talked about her children. Hope that helps answer your question. Thanks for subscribing to our blogs! STEW
Just curious to know if General Louis Fourcade (also of the same generation as Marie-Madeleine) was in any way related to Marie-Madeleine Fourcade’s second husband Hubert Fourcade? Any possibility that Louis and Hubert were brothers?
Thanks Mark for providing me a reason to go down another “rabbit hole.” Seriously, great question and I did spend some time researching this. Unfortunately, there is very little family information available for both Louis and Hubert despite sharing the same last name. However, I am confident they are not brothers. Hubert is six days older than Louis. He was born on 8 November 1909 in Marseille while Louis was born on 14 November 1909 in Tarbes, France. That is the only way I could substantiate my conclusion. STEW
I too wondered why the writer said she had three children. Don’t the siblings know more about Leon Faye’s son?
Linda; thanks for reaching out to us. Unfortunately, all I have been able to uncover about her children is what I wrote in response to Michelle’s question. I couldn’t find any information about the three children she had with Fourcade. Perhaps you might want to contact Lynn Olson for further information.
There is some information about Mme Fourcade’s youngest child, Penelope Fourcasde-Fraissinet on the internet in French articles. I think she has some kind of public office. But I have not found anything about the other 5 children. And I too was curious about the son she had with Faye. Articles from the French press I have read on the internet, describe Mme Fourcade as the mother of five children and they exclude the son she had with Faye.
I was born in 1937 and remember the war in America. Have always had a fascination with the stories of WWII. The author did bring to life the atmosphere of France during that period in history. Or as I imagine it. Madame Fourcade was an amazing woman and it is hard to imagine how she held up under the pressure of running the Alliance network and the constant worry of being found by the Nazi’s. What heartache she endured over the loss of so may friends and people who worked for her. The people who worked for her were equally admirable in their dedication to removing the Germans from France. The book was engrossing and well worth reading.
What a hero. I so wanted him to survive the war and to be reunited with Madame Fourcade and his child. I wonder what happened to them and can’t find anything on the Net. Also, her other children.
What happened to Marie-Madeline fourcade kids?
Hello.
Michelle R. wrote us with a question regarding our blog, Noah’s Ark (20 January 2018). She wanted to know what happened to Marie-Madeline Fourcade’s son. The boy was born in June 1943 and the father was Marie-Madeline’s lover, Léon Faye. Léon or “Eagle” was second-in-command of the Alliance réseau (resistance network) which Marie-Madeline headed. Léon was betrayed and arrested by the Gestapo. He was ultimately executed and became one of more than eight hundred Alliance résistants either murdered by the Nazis or who died in captivity.
After the war, Marie-Madeline Méric married her second husband, Hubert Fourcade and they had three children: Florence, Jacques, and Pénélope. Her first marriage produced two children: Christian and Béatrice. Despite writing her memoirs, Marie-Madeline was very secretive about her personal life and in particular, her children. Christian and Béatrice were smuggled into Switzerland where they remained safe (their mother was being hunted by the Gestapo and subsequently fled to London). The son she had by Léon Faye was given to Marie-Madeline’s assistant, Monique Bontinck, and taken to a safe house in the south of France.
Subsequent to the publication of our blog, a well written book about Marie-Madeline was published. I can highly recommend Madame Fourcade’s Secret War by Lynne Olson (New York: Random House, 2019). I contacted Ms. Olson and she responded by saying that Marie-Madeline’s son survived the war and was reunited with his mother after the liberation. He was subsequently adopted by M. Fourcade and raised with the other children.
I hope that answers your question. STEW
I too am fascinated by the story of Marie-Madelene B. Fourcade. Really enjoyed Lynne Olson’s book. I’m happy you can assure us that her son by Leon Faye survived and apparently grew up. She apparently had 6 children as 5 are named on the family tree site. Unless the only Fourcade son listed is the adopted son. So many brave people did what they had to do to defeat a great evil. We need to remember them all.
Hi Myra, thanks for commenting on Faye’s image. Yes, we must never forget! STEW
I am reading Madame Fourcade’s Secret War. Vey interesting. I was born in 1938.
Hi Leona; Glad you are finding her story interesting. Make sure you read her biography, “Noah’s Ark.” STEW
Jacques Fourcade died in January. My father was Marie-Madeleine’s contact in London and left a memoir, probably the most senior SIS officer ever to have done so and in due course I hope to publish it. Perhaps I’ll give more details of the children, and then again perhaps I’ll keep it private …
Hello Colin. Thank you so much for reaching out to us. I hope that someday you will publish your father’s memoir. To share that piece of history with others would be wonderful. Please keep in touch as I would be interested to know what you decide to do. STEW