Protected by Eluard having met Picasso and Aragon, the partisan was a poet and journalist. He had dedicated his life to denouncing injustices.
Resistance fighter Madeleine Riffaud has died at the age of 100, her publisher Dupuis announced on Wednesday, confirming the newspaper’s information Humanity for which he was a war correspondent.
“A heroine is gone. Her legacy: a whole century of fighting,” praised L’Humanité for which she covered the Algerian and Vietnam wars.
On August 23, 2024, her hundredth birthday, Madeleine Riffaud published the third and final volume of Madeleine, resistant (edited by Dupuis), his war memoirs in comics, with Dominique Bertail drawing and Jean-David Morvan writing the screenplay. The latter paid tribute to her on Facebook by publishing a photo of her, aged, posing on a sofa.
FTP liaison officer
Born in 1924 in the Somme, this only child of teachers joined the resistance at 16. A student midwife in Paris, she became a liaison officer with her fellow communists in the Francs-tireurs et partisans (FTP) at the medical school.
The massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane, the village of his youth decimated in June 1944, caused him to take up arms. On July 23, he shot a Nazi officer twice in the head on the Solferino bridge in Paris.
The comic “Madeleine, resistant” © Dupuis
“I regret, also, killing this man. You are there. You were looking at the Seine. Can you be bad when you look at the Seine? Maybe he was a good guy. But that… well, it’s war,” he said. said.
The resistance fighter was arrested almost immediately. Tortured by the Gestapo, she was sentenced to death and then deported. With a spy friend she jumps off the train towards Ravensbrück but is intercepted. Thanks to the Swedish consul, she was freed on August 19th thanks to an exchange of prisoners, at the height of the Liberation of Paris.
Rainer resumed the fight: on August 23 he contributed to the arrest of 80 German soldiers in the attack on a train at Buttes-Chaumont. He will receive the Croix de Guerre with the palm.
Depression and tuberculosis
After the Liberation he wanted to join the army but he was not 21 years old. His commitment ends here. Without news of her deported friends, tormented by the memory of prison, she sinks into depression, as she says in We called him Rainer.
Touched by her anguish, Eluard takes her under his protection and introduces his collection of poems The closed fist (1945). He takes her to Picasso who paints her – a determined little face framed by thick brown hair – and presents her to the writer Vercors.
Suffering from tuberculosis, she meets Pierre Daix, a survivor of Mauthausen, in a sanatorium. They get married and have a daughter who is entrusted to her grandparents for fear of tuberculosis. They separated in 1947.
“Back then only one profession was indicated, it was the war reporter for the most suffering”, she confided once she became an almost blind old woman.
Caregiver
He started at Ce Soir, a communist newspaper edited by Aragon. Then for Humanity she covered the war in Indochina where Ho Chi Minh welcomed her as “his daughter”.
He goes clandestinely to Algeria where he escapes an attack by the OAS (Secret Army Organization). He denounces the torture practiced in Paris against FLN (National Liberation Front) activists. He then returned to Vietnam and covered the war for seven years.
Upon her return, she worked as a nurse’s assistant in a Parisian hospital and reported it Nightwear (1974), sold one million copies, The Poverty of Public Assistance.
For 50 years she remained silent about her years of resistance. It was the resistance fighter Raymond Aubrac who shook him in the 1990s: “Are you going to continue to keep your mouth shut? Your little comrades who were shot at 17, you don’t care if no one talks about it?”, she told AFP.
He had since visited schools and responded to interviews. “Resisting means loving people, not hating. (…) If we resisted it is because instead of telling ourselves: I am a victim, we always said to ourselves: I am a resistance fighter, I am a fighter. fighter!”
Interview between Time.news Editor and Historian Dr. Claire Dubois on the Legacy of Madeleine Riffaud
Editor: Welcome, Dr. Dubois. I appreciate you taking the time to discuss the remarkable life of Madeleine Riffaud, who recently passed at the age of 100.
Dr. Dubois: Thank you for having me. It’s an honor to reflect on the life of such an extraordinary figure.
Editor: Madeleine was not only a resistance fighter but also a poet and journalist dedicated to denouncing injustices. What impact do you think her work had during the tumultuous times she lived through?
Dr. Dubois: Her work was monumental in shaping public awareness about the atrocities of war. By engaging in journalism and art, she chronicled the experiences of the oppressed, particularly during the Algerian and Vietnam wars. Her voice offered a narrative of resistance that inspired others to stand against injustice.
Editor: Speaking of her role in the resistance, she joined at just 16 after the tragic events in her hometown. How did her early experiences influence her actions during the war?
Dr. Dubois: The horrific massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane was a turning point for her. It ignited her resolve to fight back. The acts of brutality she witnessed were not merely statistics; they were deeply personal. This transformed her from a student midwife into a courageous fighter, illustrating that great resilience often arises from personal tragedy.
Editor: It’s fascinating how she transitioned from being a young woman in medical school to a liaison officer in the FTP. How significant was her role as a liaison officer during such critical operations?
Dr. Dubois: Her position as a liaison officer was crucial. She was not only tasked with communication but also building networks among resistance fighters. This requires bravery and intelligence, as she had to navigate a landscape filled with danger, yet she managed to coordinate important missions that contributed to the liberation.
Editor: Riffaud’s experiences included being arrested, tortured, and later involved in exchanges for prisoners. It’s incredible to think about the resilience she showed. Can you elaborate on those experiences?
Dr. Dubois: Absolutely. After her arrest, the torture she endured at the hands of the Gestapo is emblematic of the sacrifices many resistance fighters faced. Her story is a testament to resilience—the fact that she escaped deportation and continued her efforts with the French resistance shows not just courage, but an unwavering sense of duty. This speaks volumes about her character.
Editor: Beyond the war, she faced personal struggles, including depression and tuberculosis, yet she continued to create art and poetry. How did these experiences shape her artistic expression?
Dr. Dubois: Her struggles with mental and physical health became intertwined with her creative output. The poetry collection that Paul Éluard introduced her to was a significant avenue for her to express her anguish and resilience. Through her art, she transformed her pain into powerful messages, which resonated with many who faced similar struggles.
Editor: Recently, she published the final volume of her comic memoir, Madeleine, résistante, which retells her experiences. Why do you think this format resonates with today’s audiences?
Dr. Dubois: Comics are an accessible medium that can convey complex narratives in impactful ways. They allow for a blend of visual artistry and storytelling that can reach diverse audiences, particularly younger generations who may not connect with traditional texts. Madeleine’s story, conveyed in this format, ensures her legacy continues to inspire future advocates for justice.
Editor: Indeed, Madeleine’s life echoes a powerful message of resistance and resilience through art. What do you believe her legacy will be moving forward?
Dr. Dubois: Her legacy is one of indomitable spirit and commitment to justice. As we navigate modern struggles, from social injustice to war, her life serves as a reminder that even in the darkest times, the human spirit can resist and fight for what is right. Madeleine Riffaud will continue to be a beacon for those who champion change through their words and actions.
Editor: Thank you, Dr. Dubois, for sharing your insights on this remarkable woman. Her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and resonate for generations to come.
Dr. Dubois: Thank you for the opportunity to discuss her impactful life. It’s crucial we keep her story alive.