Arnaud Beltrame Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Arnaud Beltrame

Born	Arnaud Jean-Georges Beltrame (1973-04-18)18 April 1973 Étampes, France
Died	24 March 2018(2018-03-24) (aged 44) Carcassonne, France
Nationality	French
Alma mater	Lycée militaire de Saint-Cyr, School of Applied Artillery (1995), École militaire interarmes (1999–2001), École des officiers de la gendarmerie nationale (2001–2002), Institut supérieur du commerce de Paris (2015–2016)
Occupation	Senior Officer of the National Gendarmerie
Spouse(s)	Marielle Beltrame (m. 2016)

Military career
Allegiance	France
Service/branch	Gendarmerie nationale
Years of service	2001–2018
Rank	Colonel (posthumous)
Unit	EPIGN Garde républicaine
Awards	Legion of Honour (Commander)

Arnaud Jean-Georges Beltrame (born 18 April 1973 – died 24 March 2018) was a brave French police officer. He was a lieutenant colonel in the National Gendarmerie, which is a military police force in France. He became famous for his heroic actions during a terrorist attack in Trèbes, France.

Beltrame gave his own life to save a hostage. He traded places with a woman who was being held captive by a terrorist. For his amazing courage and dedication to duty, he was given a higher rank after his death. He also received the Legion of Honour, which is a very important award in France. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, said that Beltrame deserved "the respect and admiration of the whole nation."

Early Life and School
Serving His Country
The Trèbes Terrorist Attack
His Personal Life
Honors and Tributes
Decorations
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and School

Arnaud Beltrame was born in a town called Étampes in France on April 18, 1973.

He was a very smart student. He graduated at the top of his class from two important military schools in France. He finished his studies at the French Army EMIA military academy in 2001. Then, in 2002, he also graduated first from the French Gendarmerie nationale Officers School.

Serving His Country

Lieutenant Colonel Beltrame during a military ceremony in February 2018

After his military training, Beltrame became an officer in the Gendarmerie. He joined an elite parachute unit called the EPIGN in 2003.

In 2005, he was sent to Iraq and was recognized for his service there. Later, he joined the Republican Guard. This is a special part of the Gendarmerie that protects important government buildings and officials, like the President at the Elysée Palace.

From 2010 to 2014, he led a Gendarmerie company in Avranches. In August 2017, he moved to Carcassonne in southwestern France. There, he became the deputy commander of the local Gendarmerie unit.

The Trèbes Terrorist Attack

On March 24, 2018, a terrorist attacked a supermarket in Trèbes. The attacker was armed and took several people hostage.

Police officers quickly arrived and tried to negotiate with the terrorist. During these talks, Beltrame made a very brave decision. He offered to take the place of the last hostage, a female cashier. This meant he would be held captive instead of her.

Beltrame left his mobile phone on a table with the line open. This allowed the police outside to hear what was happening inside the supermarket. After about three hours, the terrorist attacked Beltrame.

In response, a special police unit called GIGN stormed the supermarket. They quickly ended the attack and killed the assailant. Sadly, Arnaud Beltrame died from his injuries. He had been shot and stabbed.

His Personal Life

Arnaud Beltrame grew up in a family that was not religious. However, when he was 33, he decided to become a Catholic Christian. He received his sacraments in 2008.

In 2015, he went on a pilgrimage to a special church. There, he prayed to the Virgin Mary to help him find the right person to share his life with. Soon after, he met Marielle, who was also a person of deep faith.

They had a civil wedding ceremony in August 2016. They were planning to have a church wedding in June 2018. Before the attack, Beltrame had also gone on a pilgrimage to Compostela.

Beltrame was interested in the history of France and its Christian roots. A week before he died, he had buried his father. His father had drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in 2017, and his body had only recently been found.

Honors and Tributes

After his death, many people praised Arnaud Beltrame's bravery. The Minister of the Interior, Gérard Collomb, and President Emmanuel Macron both spoke about his heroism.

A special national tribute was held for Beltrame at Les Invalides in Paris on March 27, 2018. President Macron led the ceremony. French flags and the banners of the Gendarmerie were lowered to half-staff. Many cities in France also announced that they would name streets, squares, or buildings in his honor.

Decorations

Legion of Honour (Commander) – awarded after his death in 2018
National Order of Merit (Knight) – 2012
Cross for Military Valour (bronze star) – 2007
Médaille de la Gendarmerie nationale – awarded after his death in 2018
National Defence Medal (golden) – 2009
Honour medal for courage and devotion (golden) – awarded after his death in 2018
Medal for internal security (golden) – awarded after his death in 2018
Honour medal of Foreign Affairs (silver) – 2006