Monument of the Martyrs of the Resistance

​​The memorial was the intention of a former resistance fighter and deportee of Cherbourg. In 1952, Marcel Leclerc wanted a memorial to remember those who had been killed by the Nazi’s during the occupation. 

​In 1956, the Marie, René Schmitt honoured this with the construction and inauguration of the memorial. The memorial is a tall triangle design with a tip that represents the resistance driving against the oppression.  

​At the base of the memorial are sixteen urns that are buried. Each contains the ashes of resistance fighters of the Beaucoudray maquis, Saint-Jean-du-Corail, Jura, and Vercors. Some of the urns contain the soil from extermination camps. 

​Marcel Leclerc, who wanted the memorial, was born in Cherbourg in 1899. He worked as a teacher and, during the Second World War founded the Liberation-Nord network in 1942 alongside René Schmitt. In 1943 he was arrested in Saint-James alongside some of his students from Cherbourg. On 11 November 1943, he was transported to Natzweiler-Struthof, Germany. He survived his time in the camp, being evacuated to Dachau in September 1944. He was released on 29 April 1945 and returned to Cherbourg on 3 June. He was lucky to survive, unlike many others who stood up to resistance. 

​The transportation that Marcel Leclerc was on saw five others who worked in Cherbourg or close by being deported. 

​Raymond Brule worked in a local distillery, he was a veteran of the First World War, he joined the resistance in 1942. In 1943 his network was infiltrated by the Gestapo, which led to his deportation. He would eventually be transported to Gross-Rosen concentration camp. In appalling conditions, he would die on 17 December 1944. 

​Alfred Duros worked with Raymond Brule and joined the resistance at the same time. He was arrested at the same time and was also part of the 11 November transportation. He followed Brule to the same camp in Poland before being moved to Dachau. He would die on 30 April 1945, the day after the liberation of the camp by American forces. 

​Emile Lecarpentier from Octeville joined the resistance. He would distribute leaflets and sheltered resistance fighters. He was arrested on 7 May 1943 and deported on 11 November. He would be sent to Natzweiler-Struthof Camp, Germany. He would die there on 26 May 1944. 

​Louis Legaigneur was arrested on 4 September 1943 for cutting telephone cables in Gatteville-le-Phare. He was deported on 11 November to Natzweiler-Struthof Camp, Germany. He would be evacuated from here in September to Dachau. He would die there on 30 January 1945. 

​Angel Leparquier worked locally in Cherbourg arsenal factories. He was an active part of the resistance and would carry out acts of sabotage. He was arrested on 9 May 1943 and deported on 11 November. He was sent to Natzweiler-Struthof Camp, Germany, and would die there on 7 May 1944. 

​The memorial stands as a reminder to those brave acts carried out by many, such as these local men.