“Who was Frère Benoît?” I ask you, as we stand here at Impasse Frère Benoît. This alleyway whispers a tale of courage. It is a story of unwavering dedication during Lyon’s darkest hours.
Impasse Frère Benoît is named after Henri Galdin. He was a Franciscan friar known as Frère Benoît. Born in 1896, his life was marked by service and sacrifice.
As we stand here in Impasse Frère Benoît, remember Frère Benoît’s early life. He joined the Franciscan order. World War I interrupted his religious path. He served as a stretcher-bearer and was wounded twice. He even lost a thumb. His injuries earned him military honors.
After the war, Frère Benoît returned to his calling. He became a friar. Frère Benoît dedicated himself to helping others. He was stationed at the Couvent des Buers in Villeurbanne in 1934.
When World War II broke out, Frère Benoît joined the French Resistance. He actively participated in Lyon and its surroundings. Frère Benoît risked his life to hide Jewish people. He provided aid to those facing deportation. As a member of the French Red Cross, he helped identify the dead. He assisted with the burial of 800 victims. These victims died in the Allied bombings of May 26, 1944.
Frère Benoît alerted Cardinal Gerlier to the massacres at Saint-Genis-Laval. This shows his bravery. 120 French prisoners were killed. The infamous SS officer Klaus Barbie ordered these killings. Barbie was known as the “Butcher of Lyon.” Frère Benoît and his team tirelessly worked to identify bodies from mass graves. These graves were located around Lyon.
After the liberation, Frère Benoît continued his work. He led a team of rescuers. Frère Benoît exhumed bodies from mass graves. He helped identify martyrs. These sites included La Doua, Saint-Genis-Laval, Vercors, and Bron. He comforted grieving families. He offered hope. Frère Benoît searched ossuaries around Lyon. His goal was to give victims a proper burial. He wanted to provide answers to their loved ones.
Frère Benoît told his team that his reward was simple. It was to return a body to a family. He wanted to ease their pain. He wished to give them a grave for mourning.
In 1946, the Ministry of Prisoners, Deportees, and Refugees gave Frère Benoît an order. This order allowed him to travel throughout the department. He was to investigate and visit families of those killed by the Germans. The ministry paid his expenses.
Frère Benoît’s courage earned him high honors. He received the Red Cross medal. This recognized his service to others. Lyon’s mayor requested recognition for his heroic actions. Frère Benoît received the Legion of Honour from Cardinal Gerlier.
After the war, Frère Benoît continued to help the less fortunate. He collected and distributed donations. His wartime reports became known as “Cahier du Frère Benoît.” He lectured and advocated for an institute to identify war victims. This idea never became reality. Frère Benoît continued searching for bodies into the 1950s.
In 1958, he became head of the Centre d’accueil Saint-François in Avignon. He continued to serve the poor. Frère Benoît died in 1968 at the age of 72. He was buried in Avignon. In 1970, his body was moved to the Necropole de la Doua in Villeurbanne. This was his wish. His tomb is in Carré H, Rang 1, Tombe 16.
Impasse Frère Benoît stands as a reminder. It reminds us of one man’s extraordinary commitment to humanity. Even in the face of immense suffering, Frère Benoît chose love over hate. His legacy lives on in the streets and alleyways of Lyon.