Chaudes-Aigues

Stone marker in memory of Jean Baron. After the fighting at Truyère on June 26-27, 1944, the Barons, Malric and Baffie, were hunting for weapons in the Bès gorges. The Germans were searching the redoubt and a patrol saw them. Malric and Baffie had time to empty their backpacks in the gutter, but not Baron, who still had a submachine gun and knew he was lost. The three were taken to Chaudes-Aigues for interrogation. Malric and Baffie were deported - Baffie died in deportation - and Jean Baron was executed by firing squad at Pratviel on June 28, when the Nazi troops left the redoubt.

The marker poses a historical problem: that of Jean Baron's connection with the FTPF (Franc-Tireurs et Partisans - one of several resistance organizations). Though there were fighter groups among those at la Truyère that were afiiliated with the Communist Party, it does not appear that any units were directly attached to the National Front or the FTPF. Jean Baron's mother, Mme Bernardie, wished for the FTPF acronym to be included as a tribute to the political view of the young man, though the Chantejall Free Corps, like the Truyère FFI, were Free Corps de la Libération.

Source: Association des Maquis et Cadets de la Résistance du Cantal