Rue Robert Diaquin

Robert Diaquin. A name etched in the annals of French Resistance history, whispered along the quiet Rue Robert Diaquin in Le Perreux-sur-Marne. This unassuming street holds a story of defiance, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of liberty. Rue Robert Diaquin is more than just bricks and mortar. It stands as a testament to a young man who dared to challenge tyranny. Robert Diaquin, born in 1922, grew up in Bry-sur-Marne, a town near Le Perreux-sur-Marne where his father resided on Rue Auguste Dasprats. In a time of occupation and oppression, he chose the path of resistance, a path that would ultimately lead to his tragic demise. In late 1942, under the pretense of work, he journeyed to Germany. Upon his return, he refused to comply with the Service du Travail Obligatoire (STO), the forced labor program that sent French citizens to work in Germany. He joined the maquis, the French Resistance fighters, in Loir-et-Cher. His bravery led him to Ivry-en-Montagne and later Cessey-sur-Tille, where he joined a franc-tireur group at the ferme de la Lochère. This courageous act placed him squarely in the crosshairs of the occupying forces. Robert Diaquin’s resistance group was tragically betrayed. A lieutenant in the engineering company stationed at Ivry-en-Montagne, unsympathetic to their cause, exposed them. On May 6, 1943, the Wehrmacht and the Sipo-SD stormed the ferme de la Lochère. Robert Diaquin was captured, imprisoned in Dijon, and later sentenced to death for acts of resistance. On November 22, 1943, at the chilling hour of 7:50 am, he was executed at the Montmuzard shooting range, alongside his comrades. His name is inscribed on the monument in Cessey-sur-Tille, a permanent reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of freedom. Rue Robert Diaquin serves as a poignant reminder of his courage and the enduring spirit of resistance against oppression.