Do you see the solemn stone cross before you? This is a memorial to Anne Passerat de La Chapelle a young woman whose life was tragically cut short during World War II.
The Anne Passerat de La Chapelle War memorial stands as a stark reminder of the brutality of war. It also shows the resilience of the human spirit. Anne Passerat de La Chapelle was born on October 10 1926. Her life ended on June 11 1944 in Caluire-et-Cuire. She was only seventeen years old.
Anne’s story is heartbreaking. In June 1944 she was traveling by train with her family. They were on their way to their family home in the Ain region. In the same compartment a priest was traveling. Anne playfully took his cane and stuck it out the window.
Tragically a train passed carrying the bodies of German soldiers. The soldiers saw Anne’s gesture. They perceived it as disrespect. They took her off the train. Despite her mother’s pleas Anne was taken to the local headquarters. There she was accused of insulting the German army.
On June 10 Anne was transferred to Montluc prison in Lyon. Her file ominously stated “called without baggage”. This indicated she was to be killed. The very next day her body was found. She was murdered at Montée Castellane in Caluire-et-Cuire.
Her parents only learned the truth two months later. They had wrongly believed she was deported to Germany. Anne Passerat de La Chapelle was posthumously honored as “Mort pour la France”. Her name is inscribed on the war memorial of Cheignieu-la-Balme. That is where she was buried.
This Anne Passerat de La Chapelle War memorial stands on the site of her execution. The inscription reads “Here on June 10 1944 was murdered by the Germans Anne-Marie PASSERAT de La CHAPELLE aged 17 years Passenger if you believe pray for her. If you do not believe reflect”.
Let us take a moment to reflect on Anne’s life. She was a victim of a senseless act of violence. Her story serves as a reminder of the importance of peace and understanding. It is a reminder to stand against injustice and oppression. The Anne Passerat de La Chapelle War memorial is a tribute to her memory. It is a symbol of hope for a better future.