Valleiry

On the wall behind the two monuments on the little square are two plaques. One notes the place: "Franco-Swiss Memorial, Resistance-Liberty." The other salutes the Franco-Swiss resistance: "1940-1944, Spearhead of Liberty, the Franco-Swiss resistance held on in the Geneva backcountry. Marcel Fivel Demoret, former head of the Saint-Julien-en-Genevois subsection resistance. A man can only stay a man by struggling against that which diminishes men and demeans them. Because the struggle for man is the last rampart of a world. Jean Vincent Verdonnet, excerpt from the poem "Christmas with the Reconciled Dead". Marc Favre, Mayor of Valleiry".

On the left of the square, on the monument representing a rock pushed by a bronze statue of a man and a woman, two plaques in homage to the cross-border resistance, to Pierre Ruche, and in memory of the events of August 16, 1944. On one plaque: "To the towns of Eloise (June 14-15, 1944) - Chevrier - Dingy en Vuache - Bloux - Valleiry. Martyrs of the Liberation of the Geneva backcountry on August 16, 1944. To the Swiss border towns that took in refugees. Gratitude from the Geneva resistance." On the other: "In memory of Pierre Ruche, section chief of William Jacquart's secret army, subsection chief FTPF (Franc-Tireurs et Partisans - one of several resistance organizations)."

On the obelisk on the right side of the square, a plaque lists the names of victims of World War II: "Vincent Marius, shot on June 9, 1944, Aebi Fernand, Madame Derobert Julie, Junod Charles, Phippaz-Turban Patrice, Poncy Eugène, shot on August 16, 1944; gave their lives for France in 1944, Dussauge Marcel, Gouffier Louis, Phippaz-Turban Raymond, Cartan Gustave, 1945, Chautemps Pierre, 1945". Another plaque at the foot of the monument says: "To the deported and emprisoned from their comrades."

The memorial was inaugurated on April 26, 1996, with Pierre Pasquini, minister of Veterans' Affairs and Claude Haegi, Swiss cabinet member, in the audience.

In August, 1944, a group of resistants wiped out a garrison of 25 Germans; the reprisals were ferocious: on August 16, 1944, 1600 people from the towns of Eloise, Chevrier, Valleiry, Bloux-Dingy had to flee the fighting and were taken in by Chancy, Lancy, and Avusy. Those towns, with material and financial help from a French tradesman, Léon Delorme, formed a rescue committee, and provided identity cards for each refugee. A few weeks later, after Haute Savoie was liberated on August 19, 1944, they were able to return home.

Source: MemorialGenWeb et Monument de la résistance à Valleiry