Portrait du Docteur Petiot. Photo (date unknown). Author unknown. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.
Not many tourists (or Parisians) find themselves on this narrow little street that connects the Place du General Patton and the grand Avenue Foch. I would venture to guess that only a small percentage of Parisians even know about the nefarious past of Rue le Sueur or should I say, one of its buildings.
On the evening of 11 March 1944, 5 months before the liberation of Paris, Monsieur Marçais, resident of 22, rue le Sueur, called the police over his concern for the immense amount of black smoke billowing from the chimney across the street at number 21. He was worried about a potential chimney fire in the unoccupied house. The neighbors later noted that the smoke had been heavy for the prior 5 days and the stench was nauseating.
Two policemen arrived on their bicycles and attempted to gain entry but were not successful. A neighbor who knew the owner telephoned him. Dr. Marcel Petiot lived at 66, rue Caumartin, approximately 15 minutes away by bike. He told the police to wait, as he would be right over with the keys.
After one half hour and no Dr. Petiot, the policemen were so worried about a fire that they called the fire department from which a truck and crew were sent immediately (the fire station still exists at 8, rue Mesnil). After smashing a window, several of the men were able to get inside the dark house. They followed the smell down to the basement where the most hideous scene unfolded.
After years of planning I was about to go on a trip. The night before the foray, I was surprised when a business colleague asked to hold on to my passport in case I landed in the wrong place.
Strange, I thought, since I was only going to Florida.
If it turned out that our rocket had engine problems during launch, then there was the possibility that we would have to swoop into one of the emergency landing sites in Africa. Someone from NASA would have to come to our rescue, bringing our passports and immunization records so we could get home…if we even survived.
The Sinai Peninsula
Journeys into space were unlike any other.
Of course, they were “business” trips with many tasks to accomplish, but they did afford some time for “sightseeing”. Looking at Earth from 250 miles above while speeding along at 17,000 miles per hour provided a completely different perspective on our world. We had the chance to view Earth on a vast scale.
Vestiges of history would drift below us. The sheltered bays of the east coast of the United States were reminders of where the early explorers found safe harbor from which to start their exploration of the New World. And out my window one morning? Bible stories galore! There was the land of the Pharaohs—Egypt and the Nile, then the desert of Moses’s wanderings on the Sinai Peninsula, and to the east was Israel, the Promised Land.
Some of the wondrous vistas we see from ground level are unimpressive when seen from out in space. The mighty Grand Canyon is only a long crack in the landscape. Mount Everest is indistinguishable from all the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
Sometimes events converged perfectly to capture unique photos. The location had to be in daylight and the sky cloudless. The Shuttle had to pass directly over the area of interest. The photographer had to be ready with the right camera and lens in hand as the target whizzed by. My husband and fellow astronaut, Robert “Hoot” Gibson, had such fortuitous moment on his fourth mission. He captured for the first time a picture of Paris, the City of Lights, from space.
Paris
On this grand scale the Ile de la Cité is an island in the winding Seine River. On the shore to the right are lined up the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, and the Champs Elysees leading to the starburst of roads around Arc de Triomphe. The iconic Eiffel Tower is too dark and pointy to be seen. The great forest to the west is the Bois de Boulogne.
My friend Stew Ross knows all these Parisian sites and their role in history on a smaller and more intimate scale. I’m hoping he will show me this city from ground level someday!
“Informative and entertaining, Stew Ross’ newest work evokes a difficult and frightening time in the history of the City of Light. The detailed descriptions of sites such as the Vél’ d’hiv’ or Gestapo headquarters reminds us of the choices people made during those years.”
Cynthia Bisson, PhD, Professor of History, Belmont University, French Resistant Expert
Stewart Ross’ book is full of interesting documents and research, it put you well on the tracks of Marie Antoinette, Danton, Robespierre and many more, whether in Paris or in Versailles, extremely interesting and easy to read!
Raphaelle Crevet | Certified Tour Guide, Paris, France
