Born into a family of educators, Renée Lévy’s life took a courageous turn. The Renée Lévy Plaque stands as a testament to her bravery. This plaque, located in Paris, commemorates her extraordinary life and sacrifice. Renée Lévy, born in 1906, came from a distinguished family. Her grandfather, Alfred Lévy, served as the Chief Rabbi of France. Her parents were both teachers.
Renée Lévy excelled in her studies. She became a teacher of Greek and Latin at the Lycee Victor Hugo in Paris. However, with the rise of the Nazi regime and the occupation of France, her life drastically changed. The Vichy government’s anti-Jewish laws stripped her of her teaching position. Instead of accepting defeat, she joined the French Resistance.
Renée Lévy became a vital member of the “Musée de l’Homme” resistance group. She distributed anti-Nazi leaflets and underground publications. One of the materials she distributed was a powerful speech by Winston Churchill. His words urged the French people to resist: “Gather your strength for the dawn, for the dawn will come.” After the Musée de l’Homme group was compromised, she joined the Hector network. From her apartment on Rue de Normandie in Paris, she used a hidden radio transmitter. She relayed crucial information about German troop movements and equipment to London.
Her bravery, however, came at a steep price. A denunciation led to her arrest in 1941. The Gestapo discovered her radio transmitter. Imprisoned first in Paris at La Santé Prison, she was then deported to Germany under the sinister “Nacht und Nebel” decree. This decree was designed to make prisoners vanish without a trace. She was held in various prisons, including Aachen and Essen. Finally, she was brought before a court in Koblenz and sentenced to death. Renée Lévy was executed by guillotine in Cologne on August 31, 1943.
Her story didn’t end there. After the war, her remains were brought back to France. She was honored with a burial at Fort Mont-Valérien, a memorial for Resistance fighters. This ceremony symbolized the nation’s recognition of her sacrifice. She was posthumously awarded the Legion of Honour, the Croix de Guerre, and the Resistance Medal. The Renée Lévy Plaque serves not only as a reminder of her courage, but also as a symbol of the resistance against oppression.