Georgette Kokoczynski facts for kids

Georgette Kokoczynski (1907–1936) was a brave French nurse. She was also known as Mimosa. Georgette was an anarchist who sadly died during the Spanish Civil War. She was helping on the Aragon Front.

Georgette Kokoczynski's Life Story

Early Life and Anarchist Ideas

Georgette was born in Versailles, France, on August 16, 1907. Her family was middle-class. When she was 16, she moved to Paris. There, she lived with the poet André Colomer and his partner Madeleine. They taught her about anarchism. Anarchism is a political idea that believes in societies without rulers or forced governments.

Joining Groups and Becoming a Nurse

At 18, Georgette joined Fernand Fortin, another anarchist. She became part of a group called Éducation Sociale (Social Education). This group was in Loches. She started going to rallies and festivals.

In 1928, she went back to Paris. She used the stage name "Mimosa." She joined a theater group that performed at anarchist meetings. She also sold a magazine called La Revue anarchiste [fr]. Her partner, Fernand Fortin, ran this magazine. Around this time, she finished her studies to become a nurse.

Marriage and Helping in Spain

On November 7, 1931, Georgette married Miecsejslaw Kokoczynski. He was a French socialist journalist. She took his last name.

In September 1936, Georgette went to Spain. She joined a group called the International Group of the Durruti Column. This was a group of volunteers fighting in the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) was a big conflict in Spain.

Georgette was sent to the Aragon Front. This was a battle area near Zaragoza. She worked with two German anarchists, Augusta Marx and Madeleine Gierth. Their job was to look after the canteen (where food was served) and the infirmary (a small hospital).

Georgette Kokoczynski died on October 17, 1936. This happened during the battle of Perdiguera. She died with other nurses and many foreign volunteers.

Georgette's Diary: A Look Back

Georgette kept a diary. She wrote in it from September 1936, when she left Paris, until October 1936. This was when she arrived at the Aragon Front. The diary has 45 pages, but it's not complete. Fernand Fortin copied it after she died.

In 2006, the diary was found by Édouard Sill. It was in the collections of the International Institute of Social History (IISG) in Amsterdam. The diary was titled Journal de ma Campagne (My Campaign Diary).

How Georgette Was Remembered

Groups and Tributes

• In May 1937, a French-speaking group of the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI) formed in Barcelona. Fernand Fortin was part of this group. They named themselves "Mimosa" to honor Georgette.
• On July 19, 1937, a journalist named Lola Iturbe wrote about Georgette. Lola used the name Kyralina. She paid tribute to Georgette in the magazine of the Mujeres Libres. This was a group of women fighting for freedom.

Hotel Mimosa

In the 1960s, Carolina Bunjes opened a hotel. She had been a fighter in the war and helped the Dutch resistance. She named her hotel "Hotel Mimosa." It was in Sestri Levante, Italy. It's possible she named it after Georgette's nickname, Mimosa.

See also

In Spanish: Georgette Kokoczynski para niños