THOUARS RESISTANCE MUSEUM:
THIS TIME WE WERE IN LUCK
Thirty-six minutes later we were back at Thouars Resistance Museum. Now well after 2pm, we stood once more outside a locked door; only this time we could see people within. And on the square a bus was disgorging schoolchildren.
We knocked on the glass, and received shakes of the head from a young lady within; but then the nice girl we’d spoken to that morning spotted us. She persuaded her boss to let us in.
WE HAVE THE EXHIBITION ENTIRELY TO OURSELVES
We had the entire exhibition to ourselves, and hand-held speakers gave us English translation regarding the photos and objects.
THE REJOICING OF THE OPRESSORS
There was such a lot to see: Some very well presented photographs and written testimony. Also videos of film taken at the time. It made us go cold to see jubilant German soldiers shooting inhabitants into the mass grave they’d been forced to dig. It brought home again how easy it seems to be to ‘turn’ a group of ordinary, decent young men into unthinking, uncaring monsters. IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.
This exhibition, and others like it, should be visited widely, and heeded as warnings against history repeating itself.
REJOICINGS AT LIBERATION –
Other photographs showed the people mad with joy when the Americans drove in. But there were also darker pictures, showing the consequent punishments served on those who had collaborated with the enemy.
-AND RETRIBUTIONS – ON PROFITEERS AND GOOD-TIME GIRLS
Not least those women who had chosen ‘a good time’ hobnobbing with the German soldiers. Also the few local profiteers, who had lined their pockets by collaborating with the enemy.
TRIBUTES TO THE LOCAL ‘MAQUIS’
There were many written and photographed histories of the little local band of Maquis – mostly very young. Though not all: some very brave older folk took tremendous risks. Many were marched off to suffer in concentration camps – or were shot on the spot. Hard to say which was the worse fate.
THERE ARE STILL A FEW ALIVE TO TELL THEIR TALES
Very few Maquis survived the war – but there are actually still a handful of these brave people still living. Most of these must have been children when they took part in the sabotage adventures. I wish I could remember the name of one exceptionally daring woman who took a leading part in the local sabotage and even fighting. This national heroine not only survived the war, but concentration camp and a death march – she lived until 2002.
WE SHOP IN A TENT
That evening we were surprised to see that the ‘tent-shop’ at the roadside was still open. We went in and bought water, ham, cheese – and a whole fruit flan, as you see them only in France. We shared it in the cool of the evening with Yvonne and Stephen, sitting out in the flowery front courtyard.
Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
