Born into a peasant Armenian family in 1906 Missak Manouchian’s childhood was marked by the Armenian massacres. His parents perished during the Armenian genocide. He found refuge in a Kurdish family then a Syrian orphanage. In 1924 he arrived in Marseille. He learned carpentry and worked odd jobs while attending workers’ universities. He moved to Paris working as a lathe operator at Citroën. With friends he founded literary magazines Tchank and Machagouyt.
Here before us stands the Missak Manouchian Statue. It commemorates a remarkable figure. A poet and communist activist he became a key member of the French Resistance.
Manouchian joined the French Communist Party in 1934. He also became editor of Zangou a newspaper named after a river near Yerevan. He corresponded with Armenian poets Avetik Issahakian and Archag Tchobanian. He served on the board of an Armenian relief committee. He toured Armenian diaspora groups in France. He was secretary of the Franco-Armenian Popular Union.
In 1939 he was interned as a foreign communist. Later he was conscripted. Returning to Paris in 1940 he resumed his activism. Arrested in June 1941 he was soon released. He became head of the Armenian section of the MOI using the pseudonym Georges.
In February 1943 he joined the FTP-MOI. His first armed action in Levallois-Perret involved a grenade attack on a German detachment. One soldier died and fifteen were injured. Two French civilians were also hurt.
Some accounts question his judgment. Others highlight his reluctance to involve large numbers of fighters in Paris actions. He proposed moving FTP-MOI forces south to better protect Armenian fighters in Marseille and Grenoble.
Despite these criticisms Manouchian’s loyalty wasn’t questioned. When Alik Neuer was arrested Manouchian replaced him. He later replaced Boris Holban as military commissioner. He adopted Joseph Epstein’s strategy of using larger units in actions. Initially some commanders including Manouchian resisted this.
In September 1943 police began surveillance. Manouchian was identified but not yet known as a military leader. By November his arrest was imminent. He met his wife for a last time in a Parisian cafe. The next day he was arrested near Evry. He chose not to use his pistol. His arrest triggered a wave of arrests.
Imprisoned at Fresnes he wrote a final letter to his wife. He expressed no hatred towards the German people. He forgave those who harmed him except the traitor and those who sold them out.
Executed on February 21 1944 at Mont Valérien alongside 21 other fighters. German propaganda falsely portrayed him as a gang leader responsible for numerous attacks deaths and injuries. The Missak Manouchian Statue stands as a powerful reminder of his courage and sacrifice. His legacy continues to inspire. His story deserves to be heard and remembered.