Claire Chevrillon Livres

In 1943, Claire Chevrillon, code-named Christiane Clouet, became head of the Code Service in Paris for General de Gaulle's Delegation, facilitating communication between the Free French Government in London and the Provisional Government in France. Chevrillon and her team were responsible for coding many telegrams during this critical period. Her memoir sheds light on the often-overlooked yet essential role of the French Resistance. It offers rich details about the daily lives of the French elite under German occupation. Chevrillon's upbringing, influenced by her father, a scholar connected to prominent cultural figures, and her mother from a large assimilated Jewish family, provided her with insights into the persecution faced by French Jews. Her narrative captures the intersection of private lives and public events, recounting the Resistance's behind-the-scenes efforts and her four months in Fresnes prison. Chevrillon's storytelling is remarkable for its evenhandedness and lack of embellishment, as she recounts the arrest and deportation of her Jewish relatives, her involvement in the underground network, and France's liberation. Her straightforward style, combined with her extensive societal connections, offers a unique perspective on the World War II underground, illustrating that heroism can manifest in quiet, hidden ways.