Lucie Aubrac

Aubrac headshotcolor
Born Lucie Bernard in France’s Burgundy region into a family of winegrowers, Lucie Aubrac (1912-2007) earned her agrégation and became a high school history teacher. In 1939 she married Raymond Samuel, the son of Jewish shopkeepers and a civil engineer. Both joined the résistance in 1940 adopting the name Aubrac. Lucie delivered packages, printed clandestine news sheets and designed and executed escape plans while continuing to teach in a lycée. When pregnant with their first child, Lucie several times rescued her husband, imprisoned by the Lyon Gestapo headed by the notorious Klaus Barbie. The couple and their son were secretly flown to Britain in 1944 where Lucie gave birth to a daughter days later.

After World War II, Lucie worked for Algeria’s independence, spoke frequently about her wartime experiences and was made
Grand officier de la Légion d'honneur, France’s highest honor. Two movies, Lucie Aubrac by Claude Berri and Boulevard of Swallows by Josée Yanne, are based in part on Lucie Aubrac’s life. Jean-Pierre Melville’s Army of Shadows is another movie about the French résistance.


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Aubrac eBook cover