
Resistance in 1944: the example of the Vercors
In this room special emphasis is placed on the role of the Resistance in Europe, in the Balkans and also in France, during the main phases of liberation of occupied territories.
For France, the battle of Vercors is the example used, with the tragic end to the uprising in the summer of 1944 and an extremely heavy price paid by the maquis: 456 dead, including 130 civilians. Today it is one of the main remembrance sites of the Resistance, but beyond the debates on the vain expectation of reinforcements at the time of the German attack, the drama of Vercors summarises and illustrates some of the major aspects of the French Resistance.
To the centre of this room, the large display provides two reading boards: on one hand, the actions of the Resistance during 1944 to support reconquest; on the other, Liberation in Europe - or rather Liberations, as in no way did the return to peace resemble a simple one-off action in countries that had been occupied for a number of years.