Killed by German soldiers. That’s the stark reality etched onto the Georges Romand Plaque. It marks the spot where a young life was tragically cut short. We stand here now at the Impasse Cumin in Lyon. It is a somber place. It prompts reflection on a life interrupted by war.
Georges Romand was just seventeen years old when he died. The plaque commemorates him. It is a simple stone. It serves as a powerful reminder of the cost of conflict. It is a tribute to a civilian victim of World War II.
Born on March 26, 1927, in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, Georges was the son of Vincent Eugène Romand and Léonie Joséphine Nouaille. He lived in Lyon. His address was 26 avenue du Point du Jour. He worked as an employee. Georges never married.
On August 24, 1944, tragedy struck. Georges Romand was killed during a shooting. German soldiers were responsible. The event occurred at the Impasse Cumin in Lyon’s 5th arrondissement.
The death certificate confirms the grim details. The archives in Lyon preserve the record of his passing. Paul Garcin’s book “Interdit par la censure, 1942-1944” also mentions the events.
There is also a memorial to the France First Movement. Georges and Marcel Cotton created the movement in Lyon in March 1941. They distributed a newspaper called “France First.” The first issue appeared in June 1943. It had a print run of 20 copies. “France First” was independent. It worked with other resistance movements. These included the major movements of the Southern Zone. Jean Moulin had an office. It was at the company that Marcel and Georges Cotton managed. It was at 16 rue Victor Hugo.
The Georges Romand Plaque reminds us of the individual stories lost. They are lost within the grand narrative of war. It calls for a moment of silence. We should remember a young man. He was caught in the crossfire of a conflict.
The plaque serves as a poignant reminder. It speaks to the fragility of life. It highlights the importance of peace. It urges us to remember the past. This ensures that such tragedies are never repeated. Let’s take a moment to reflect on Georges Romand’s life. Consider the countless others whose lives were similarly affected by the war.