A whisper of rebellion echoes here on Rue Eugène Toulgoat. This street carries a name that embodies the spirit of resistance. It tells a story of a man who stood up for his fellow workers. Eugène Toulgoat. Remember that name. It signifies courage in the face of injustice.
Eugène Toulgoat was born in Gourin in 1894. He wasn’t a politician or a general. He was a worker. A milling machine operator. He worked with dedication at the Carbone-Lorraine factory in Gennevilliers. This was a place where dynamos hummed and carbon was shaped.
In 1923, Eugène married Françoise Nèdelec. They lived near the factory where he worked. Their lives seemed ordinary. But Eugène was far from an ordinary man.
The factory management knew Eugène Toulgoat was a committed communist. In 1936, he ignited a strike with factory occupation. He served as the union secretary. His fellow workers elected him as their chief delegate. During the strikes of 1936, 1937 and 1938, Eugène was the main figure. He oversaw the picket lines. He authorized entry and exit for personnel.
Eugène welcomed communist city councilors into the factory. They brought support from the communist municipality to the workers. He fought for better conditions. He stood against exploitation.
The general strike of November 30, 1938 failed. It was against the government’s decrees that dismantled the forty-hour workweek. Thousands of employees in Gennevilliers were locked out. Three hundred ninety were fired. Eugène Toulgoat was among them. He landed on employer blacklists. No one was to hire him.
Deemed unfit for military service due to disability, Eugène found work. From January to June 1940, the Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Courbevoie hired him. He worked as a laborer. War created labor shortages.
The arrest of former communist mayor Jean Grandel in July 1940 stirred unrest. Communist activists retaliated. Leaflets appeared on walls. They demanded Grandel’s release. They praised his opposition to the “imperialist war.”
In December 1940, the underground newspaper l’Humanité reported a victory. A delegation of thirty wives of prisoners of war had secured free meals for their children. Eugène remained active in the communist party. He took a leadership role.
On February 18, 1941, police arrested François Carcedo. They seized documents and a list of communist activists. Between February 17 and March 1, they arrested over thirty people. Eugène Toulgoat was among them.
Eugène was arrested on February 21. He was the leader of the Gennevilliers center team. Authorities imprisoned him. He appeared before a special court in October 1941. He received a fifteen-year sentence of hard labor.
He was imprisoned in various locations. These included Fresnes, Fontevrault, and Blois. In February 1944, he was sent to Frontstalag 122 in Compiègne.
On February 28, Eugène was deported to Germany. He was transported in a barred train car. His destination was the Neue Bremm camp in Saarbrücken. Among the prisoners were fellow activists.
They were sentenced to hard labor. They were designated “Nacht und Nebel” or “Night and Fog.” This meant they were to disappear without a trace. After a month, they were transferred to Mauthausen in Austria. Eugène Toulgoat, prisoner number 60762, was assigned to Kommando Passau II. There, prisoners assembled weapons. Later, he was sent to Flossenbürg. Eugène Toulgoat died on January 16, 1945, in Schawitz.
In 1957, Gennevilliers named a street after him. The communist cell at Carbone-Lorraine also took his name. His name is engraved on the deportation memorial at the communal cemetery.
So, as you walk along Rue Eugène Toulgoat, remember the man. Remember his fight for justice and his sacrifice. This street is more than just a place. It is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit.