Yvette Lundy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yvette Lundy
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Lundy in 2014
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| Born | 22 April 1916 Oger, France
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| Died | 3 November 2019 (aged 103) Epernay, France
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| Nationality | French |
Yvette Lundy (born April 22, 1916 – died November 3, 2019) was a brave French Resistance fighter. She helped her country during World War II when France was occupied. Yvette's story even inspired a character in the 2009 film Korkoro.
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Yvette Lundy's Early Life
Yvette Lundy was born on April 22, 1916, in a small French town called Oger. She was the youngest of seven children. Her family worked in farming near the city of Reims.
In 1938, Yvette became a teacher in Gionges. She also worked as a secretary for the town's mayor. When the Battle of France began in May 1940, she had to leave her home. But she returned just two months later.
Helping During Wartime
During World War II, France was occupied by enemy forces. Yvette became a secret Resistance worker. She helped people who were trying to escape from a camp in Bazancourt. She also provided fake official papers to Jewish families to keep them safe.
Yvette worked with others in a secret network called Possum. She helped them avoid being caught by the authorities. Her brother Georges had a farm where Yvette would hide Free French fighters. These fighters were parachuted into the area to help the Resistance.
Yvette's Arrest and Imprisonment
On June 19, 1944, Yvette was arrested in her classroom in Gionges. The Gestapo, a secret police force, questioned her. She was then put in prison in Châlons-sur-Marne. To protect her family, Yvette bravely pretended she was an only child. Her brothers and sister were also working with the Resistance.
From Châlons, Yvette was sent to another prison in Romainville. On July 18, 1944, she was sent to Saarbrücken and then to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. This was a very harsh prison camp. Later, she was moved to another camp called Schlieben.
Yvette's sister, Berthe, was also imprisoned in Germany. Her older brother, Lucien, was held in Auschwitz concentration camp. Both Berthe and Lucien survived the war. Sadly, her other brother, Georges, was killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945.
Freedom and Return Home
Yvette Lundy was finally freed from the Schlieben camp by the Red Army around April 20 or 21, 1945. After walking about 200 kilometers to Halle, she was flown back to France. She arrived at le Bourget on May 8, 1945, a very important day for her country.
After the War
For many years after the war, Yvette did not talk about her experiences. She wanted to protect her family. But in 1959, she began to share her story. She visited many schools and spoke to students. Her talks were very popular, and young people learned a lot from her.
In 2012, Yvette Lundy wrote a book about her life called Le Fil de l'araignée. She wrote it with Laurence Barbarot-Boisson.
When she was 101 years old, Yvette received a very high honor. She was given the title of Grand Officier de la Légion d'honneur. This is one of France's greatest awards.
Yvette Lundy passed away on November 3, 2019, in Epernay. She was 103 years old.
