I have always been fascinated by stories of the Resistance Movement that formed in France during the Second World War. However, when I came to write a novel, aimed at boys who think reading's boring, I realised that I actually knew very little about it! Was there rationing during the war in France? What happened to all the French men after Germany invaded, and what were the Papers that had to be constantly shown?
Consequently I read everything I could find, just to form a background to this novel. A book I particularly enjoyed was 'And There was Light' by Jacques Lusseyran. Blinded as a child, he lived life to the full, and, although only a school boy when war broke out, he organised the printing of a secret, informative newspaper. This was distribued throughout Paris, and beyond. One of his many tasks was interviewing prospective helpers, as it was felt his blindness gave him intuition. The one person he didn't personally chose was the one who betrayed the group, and they were all sent to concentration camps.
Another book, that I'd read decades ago, but which was still vividly in my mind, was this inpiring tale by the remarkable Dutch woman Corrie ten Boom. When the war broke out she and her sister, and their clock-repairing father, never hesitated for a moment, in their commitment to help Jews. The Resistance Group came and built a false wall in their attic, and the Jews hid in this special little place. Tragically this family were also betrayed, but the Germans never found this false wall.
Another book, that I'd read decades ago, but which was still vividly in my mind, was this inpiring tale by the remarkable Dutch woman Corrie ten Boom. When the war broke out she and her sister, and their clock-repairing father, never hesitated for a moment, in their commitment to help Jews. The Resistance Group came and built a false wall in their attic, and the Jews hid in this special little place. Tragically this family were also betrayed, but the Germans never found this false wall.
Another book that was invalubale was a slim one by Terry Crowdy, although the reprisals they describe were just beyond belief Another essential was The Forger by Cioma Schonhaus.
One thing that had always struck me was the fact that whilst it would be possible to hide someone briefly until they were moved along, there must have been a very good chance of getting landed with an airman who was very seriously wounded - after all they'd literally fallen out of the sky! If their plane had been hit, there was a good chance they would be injured too, and then how would you hide them? They could hardly go into a grubby barn, and if nursed in the main house by inexperience people, their groans could hardly be concealed. It must have been a nightmare scenario.
My novel is now available from Kindle
it is called 'The Secret'.
No comments:
Post a Comment