Resistance in Other European Countries

Created by Ethan L., Dominic P. Gavin D. & Peter E.

Stories of people across Europe who fought back, hid refugees, and resisted Nazi rule in many different ways
(1939-1945)

Shadow of a Village

Artist Statement

“Shadow of a Village" is a commemoration of the brave actions of the French villagers of Le-Chambon-sur-Lignon who moved 5000 refugees of the war into their village,  saving many more by moving them into Switzerland, a neutral country acting as a refuge for those considered “undesirables" by the Nazis. The village worked closely with different groups and organizations to assist the collective rescue efforts. One example of an organization was the American Quakers, a Christian group who would take people away from the Nazis and hand them off to other members of the rescue operation. The people of Le-Chambon were descendents of the Huguenots, an oppressed group of Protestants in mainly Catholic France. Their personal history of oppression and their ethical beliefs fueled their determination to aid those in need. Andre Trocmé, the priest of the whole village of Le Chambon, convinced the villagers to put their full effort into saving as many people as possible. From then on, Andre Trocmé directed the resistance and personally organized the rescue of many people.  Because of their convenient position in the south of France, near Switzerland, they could move small groups without large food stockpiles. 

We recreated the village in the houses and their warmly lit windows, hiding people from the grasp of the Nazis. In the Illumination of the Cross of Lorraine, we placed a figure of Pastor Trocmé, representing how he convinced the Nazis that the village was not harbouring “undesirables”. The cross of Lorraine projected through the stencil is a representation not only of the village’s religion but also of how they used the power they were given to help those who now needed it. The cross of Lorrian, a two-barred cross, was the recognised symbol of French resistance during WWII. The mountains around the village in the memorial are an exaggerated version of the real plateau that the village sits in, and the hands resting on top represent the Nazis trying to find the Undesirables in the village. The Nazis were unable to find any “undesirables” in the village due to the village sitting in complex terrain that the villagers knew well because of their geographical knowledge. The villagers always had lookouts that spotted incoming Nazis before they could reach the village, alerting the rest of the village to hide the refugees.  

The village’s silent resistance was impactful because it was silent; if they had made more drawn-out, large-scale movements, they might have been discovered, putting themselves at risk and those they were harbouring. However, because of their secrecy, they are not as well-known as some of the other resistance movements, with testimony being the main way people find out about the village. The people of Le-Chambon took actions that, much later, earned the village international recognition. The village was particularly recognised for their protection of children, where the villagers would build schools in the mountains, and when Germans came looking for undesirables, they would send the kids into the forest, letting them escape without knowing that they were being chased, letting the kids live in darkness about how often the Nazis came looking for them.  This village was one of the most influential in the French resistance, serving as a critical pit stop or final destination for many people on their way to freedom.