Ceux de la Libération
Encyclopedia
"Ceux de la Libération" was a French resistance
movement during the German occupation of France
in World War II
.
CDLL was one of the eight major resistance groups of the Conseil National de la Résistance
(CNR).
In early 1942, Roger Coquoin, a demobilized Captain and the head of the Chemistry Laboratory at the Académie Nationale de Médecine
, met with the CDLL leader Maurice Ripoche. He became involved with the group and succeeded Ripoche as leader after the latter's arrest in March 1943. Under Coquoin's command, the CDLL expanded to Paris
and the rest of France, gathering new volunteers in Normandy
, Champagne
, Bourgogne
and Vendée
. Coquoin also made contact with other resistance movements in the occupied zone and even in the southern zone of Vichy. His capabilities in chemistry enabled him to develop detonators and abrasive pellets for destroying German trucks. After Coquoin was killed in an ambush in December 1943, Gilbert Védy, CDLL's delegate to the Assemblée consultative provisoire in Algiers, returned to Paris to head the movement. However, three days after his arrival, on March 21, 1944, Védy was arrested and poisoned himself during the interrogation rather than risk divulging any information.
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
movement during the German occupation of France
German occupation of France in World War II
The Military Administration in France was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II. It remained in existence from May 1940 to December 1944. As a result of the defeat of France and its Allies in the Battle of France, the French cabinet sought a cessation...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
CDLL was one of the eight major resistance groups of the Conseil National de la Résistance
Conseil National de la Résistance
The Conseil National de la Résistance or the National Council of the Resistance is the body that directed and coordinated the different movements of the French Resistance - the press, trade unions, and members of political parties hostile to the Vichy regime, starting from...
(CNR).
History
Ceux de la Libération was formed in November 1940 by Maurice Ripoche, Henri Pascal and Jacques Ballet. The movement soon had several thousand members in the Northern occupation zone.In early 1942, Roger Coquoin, a demobilized Captain and the head of the Chemistry Laboratory at the Académie Nationale de Médecine
Académie Nationale de Médecine
Académie Nationale de Médecine, or National Academy of Medicine was created in 1820 by king Louis XVIII at the urging of baron Antoine Portal. At its inception, the institution was known as the Académie Royale de Médecine...
, met with the CDLL leader Maurice Ripoche. He became involved with the group and succeeded Ripoche as leader after the latter's arrest in March 1943. Under Coquoin's command, the CDLL expanded to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and the rest of France, gathering new volunteers in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, Champagne
Champagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
, Bourgogne
Bourgogne
Burgundy is one of the 27 regions of France.The name comes from the Burgundians, an ancient Germanic people who settled in the area in early Middle-age. The region of Burgundy is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy, from the modern...
and Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
. Coquoin also made contact with other resistance movements in the occupied zone and even in the southern zone of Vichy. His capabilities in chemistry enabled him to develop detonators and abrasive pellets for destroying German trucks. After Coquoin was killed in an ambush in December 1943, Gilbert Védy, CDLL's delegate to the Assemblée consultative provisoire in Algiers, returned to Paris to head the movement. However, three days after his arrival, on March 21, 1944, Védy was arrested and poisoned himself during the interrogation rather than risk divulging any information.