For all you “Boomers” out there, I’m about to take you on a nostalgic trip back to the heady days of rock & roll.
Château d’Hérouville (France). Photo (carte postale). PD+70; PD-US. Wikimedia Commons.
Just one hour outside Paris stands the Château d’Hérouville. It was built in 1740 in the small village of Hérouville. The château replaced the original building that was constructed in the 1500s. It was used as a relay station for riders between Versailles and Beauvais and at its zenith, the château stabled more than 100 horses. Chopin used the chateau during the mid-19th century to carry on his affair with George Sand. During the 1970s it also stabled a “who’s who” of legendary rock bands and performers.Read More Honky Château
War Memorial dedicated to the SOE. Photo by mattbuck (2014). PD-Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0. Wikimedia Commons.
We have all read or seen articles and films on the activities of spies during World War II. Usually these are about the men of MI6 (British), OSS (America), and to a much lesser extent, the Soviet Union’s spy networks (e.g., The Red Orchestra). We’ve recently heard (thanks to declassification) about the wartime contributions of British women in regards to code breaking and Operation Enigma. However, there was a group of young and very dedicated women who were important members of the clandestine British operation called Special Operations Executive (SOE).
The SOE was formed in July 1940 on the orders of Churchill. There is some question by historians as to its effectiveness during the German occupation of European territories but to the SOE agents, their activities were extremely beneficial to the various Resistance movements, especially in France. It was also very dangerous.
The organization was divided up into departments based on the country they operated in. The network in France was code named “F Section.” Women from the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) or the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force were recruited for the SOE. A total of 55 women served as agents during the war (39 of them in F Section). Thirteen or one third of the women dropped into France went missing and it was ultimately determined they had been murdered in various Nazi extermination camps.Read More Women Agents of the SOE
“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
Paris Occupation History and Guide Book
This book presents three detailed walking tours and numerous metro station oriented short walks that identified significant occupation locations. Each location on the walk is fully explained. In addition, the author uses many sidebars to provide additional supporting information. The appendix provides a wealth of additional information and pictures that the novice and well read Occupation scholar will find helpful. Whether your first exposure to the Occupation or one of many books you have read, this book is a must read prior to visiting Paris. The format and size of the book make it easy to carry in your carry-on luggage. The book is the first of a three volume set. I can’t wait to see the information to be presented in Volumes 2 & 3.
Patrick from Albuquerque.
