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Saint Julien de Crempse

Memorials	:	0
Location	:	Bergerac, Departement de la Dordogne, France
Description	:	The tiny hamlet of St. Julien de Crempse lies 10 miles N of the town of Bergerac, Dordogne, in France. The countryside is rolling with arable fields and vineyards set amongst dense mixed forest. This forest was perfect cover for the French Resistance who called themselves Maquisards in WWII. After the DDay landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944, Churchhill and De Gaulle called for the Resistance to rise and create as much havoc and distraction with the German troops to slow their movement from the S of France to the action in the N. A couple of miles N... Read More	The tiny hamlet of St. Julien de Crempse lies 10 miles N of the town of Bergerac, Dordogne, in France. The countryside is rolling with arable fields and vineyards set amongst dense mixed forest. This forest was perfect cover for the French Resistance who called themselves Maquisards in WWII. After the DDay landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944, Churchhill and De Gaulle called for the Resistance to rise and create as much havoc and distraction with the German troops to slow their movement from the S of France to the action in the N. A couple of miles N of St. Julien was a centre for one of the resistance groups. The Germans had been made aware of their presence by informers, and the Commander of the German garrison in Bergerac decided to make a move on them. The Maquis however, also were aware of an imminent action by the Germans , as one of their members had seen a map with a red pin on Saint Julien. A decision was made by the Maquis to make a stance.In the very early hours of the 9th August 1944,they took up ambush positions overlooking a company of Germans in trucks which had stopped on the road to the village. A short time later a Mercedes car stopped beside the detachment of Germans and three German officers got out and were studying a map. The Resistance leader gave the order to open fire with machine gun and rifles. It is certain that the German Comander was killed, but this was never admitted. Fire was exchanged and several Maquis were killed or wounded. They then retreated back into the forest. It is likely that this action provoked the retaliation which the Germans meted out later on the villagers of St. Julien de Crempse. Later, about 9 o'clock, a detachment rolled into St. Julien and proceeded to loot the houses of food and clothing, and also rounded up all the men they could find in the village and in their farm houses. Yvette HUOT, the lady from whom our daughter and husband bought her house in 2005, was ten years old and was sitting on her Father's knee when the Germans entered. They marched her Father, Louis and her 18 year old brother, Rene, up to the courtyard next to the village Mairie ( council building) where they were collecting the hostages. Eventually after eating and drinking the stolen food , wine, and aquavit, they marched the hostages to a field, only 150 yards away, made them dig their own grave and shot them. Seventeen men ranging in age from 18 years to 79 years. One was the village schoolmaster,Georges Roques, who cycled from Bergerac each day. He who was warned by a maquisard on the road, not to go to St. Julien because he had heard the Germans were there. However, he carried on to make sure his pupils were safe. This decision cost him his life. Despite having committed such an atrocity, the Germans insisted on billeting with families in the village, and did not leave until the next morning. They left an order that the bodies of husbands, sons, and brothers should not be exhumed and re-buried. Of course this did happen later. Every 9th August since then their has been a commemoration service in the church and before the war memorial when dignitaries make speeches.and old Maquisards carry their banners. One of the young people of the village reads all the names of the dead including ten who died in fighting around the village at that time. After each name, the assembly repeats the words " Mort pour la France". It is a very moving ceremony. I have found it very difficult when standing with Yvette Huot when her Father's and Brother's names are read out. As if this tragedy could not be made worse, only one week later, Hitler ordered all German troops west of a line from Orleans to Montpellier to leave the s of France and head north. The Commander of the garrison in Bergerac surrenderd to the French on the 24 August 1944. The tragic tale is not over yet. in 2003, an old Maquisard, when facing his own mortality, could not go to his grave with a secret which lay heavy on his heart. On 10 September 1944, men of the Resistance went to the prison in Bergerac where the Germans were being held, took seventeen from the company which had committed the atrocities, took them to the same field in St. Julien, made them dig their own graves, and executed them. I find it very difficult to condemn their actions, but others may say that this act was equally barbaric. The Germans were never named, but were exhumed and taken away for reburial. As the French would say "C'est la guerre "

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Saint Julien de Crempse is located at Bergerac, Departement de la Dordogne, France.
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Saint Julien de Crempse

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