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TAKING CONTROL Women of Lorient, France Direct their Lives Despite the German Occupation (June 1940-May 1945) Victoria Le Corre Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in History (Area Studies) Dr. Frederic J. Baumgartner, Chair Dr. Sue Farquhar Dr. Amy Nelson December, 2002 Blacksburg, Virginia i Taking Control WOMEN OF LORIENT, FRANCE DIRECT THEIR LIVES DESPITE THE GERMAN OCCUPATION (JUNE 1940-MAY 1945) Victoria Le Corre Abstract This thesis argues that from June 1940 when German soldiers occupied Lorient, France until May 8, 1945 when the Lorient “Pocket” surrendered, although the women of this port city faced drastic changes, they took control of their everyday lives. They did what it took to feed and clothe their families, working, standing in lines, buying on the black market, bartering, demonstrating, and recycling. They developed relationships with German soldiers which ran the gamut. Due to aerial raids in the context of the Battle of the Atlantic, they sought shelter, buried their dead, took care of their wounded, looked for new lodging, and helped each other. They even tried to have some fun. After evacuation in early 1943, scattered to the four winds, in the American held “Lorient Sector,” they served as advocates for others and made inquiries to the American 66th Infantry Division Counter-Intelligence Service. At the Liberation women were easy targets for blame, and some from Lorient were punished, notably for “horizontal collaboration” with Germans. When the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Liberation of Lorient was celebrated in 1995, the story of the women of Lorient was essentially left out. ii Table of Contents TAKING CONTROL ........................................................................................................................................................ II ABSTRACT......................................................................................................................................................................... II TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................................... III LIST OF FIGURES...............................................................................................................................................................IV PREFACE & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................................................................................................ V CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 THESIS STATEMENT AND LITERATURE.............................................................................................................................. 1 Thesis Statement.......................................................................................................................................................... 1 The Literature.............................................................................................................................................................. 4 CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 14 LORIENT DURING WORLD WAR II .................................................................................................................................. 14 CHAPTER 3 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 27 WOMEN OF LORIENT FROM OCCUPATION TO EVACUATION ........................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 4 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 54 WOMEN OF LORIENT AS REFUGEES................................................................................................................................54 Plouay........................................................................................................................................................................ 54 American Troops in the Lorient Sector..................................................................................................................... 56 CHAPTER 5 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 61 WOMEN OF LORIENT AND LIBERATION.......................................................................................................................... 61 Lorient Liberated By the Americans......................................................................................................................... 61 The Aftermath or Punishment ................................................................................................................................... 62 Head Shavings........................................................................................................................................................... 62 The Aftermath or Punishment ................................................................................................................................... 64 “Horizontal Collaboration” ..................................................................................................................................... 64 CHAPTER 6 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 68 LORIENT AND MEMORY OR WOMEN IGNORED.............................................................................................................. 68 The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Liberation of the Lorient Pocket ............................................................................ 68 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................................................... 74 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................................. 78 ARCHIVES ....................................................................................................................................................................... 78 INTERVIEWS/DISCUSSIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 78 UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENTS ........................................................................................................................................... 78 PERSONAL NARRATIVES ................................................................................................................................................. 79 DOCUMENTARIES............................................................................................................................................................ 80 BOOKS............................................................................................................................................................................. 81 ARTICLES ........................................................................................................................................................................ 86 OTHER SOURCES............................................................................................................................................................. 88 CURRICULUM VITAE................................................................................................................................................... 90 iii List of figures Figure 1: What remained of the Lorient Post Office (Jan 1943). Permission granted by AML.vi Figure 2: Mimi on her “Petite Reine”, the main means of civilian transportation....................... vii Figure 3: France divided along the Demarcation Line (occupied zone at top). Copyright release granted by Ina. ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Figure 4: Lorient and its surrouding area. Copyright release granted by SCREP SAS. ............. 15 Figure 5: Admiral Donitz amongst his men. Permission granted by AML. ................................. 18 Figure 6: Aerial view of Keroman U-boat base. Permission granted by Jean-Paul Nadeau – Brest. 19 Figure 7: Destruction of Lorient – Photo 1. Permission granted by Yann Lukas (Ouest France). 21 Figure 8: Destruction of Lorient – Photo 2. Permission granted by Yann Lukas (Ouest France). 22 Figure 9: Destruction of Lorient – Photo 3. Permission granted by Yann Lukas (Ouest France). 23 Figure 10: Awaiting Transportation for Evacuation. Permission granted by AML.................... 24 Figure 11: At the beach, September 1940 (Marie-Thérèse is holding a racket) ............................ 49 Figure 12: Dressed up, 1941 ..................................................................................................................