Monique de Bissy
Encyclopedia
Monique de Bissy
(married Schimmelpenninck) was a French/Belgian resistant
born March 13, 1923 in Schaerbeek (Belgium
) and died November 17, 2009 in Montpellier
(France
) .
after the Belgian defeat
in 1940 (aged 17). She worked for several resistance groups, such as the « Brigade Blanche », the « Ailes Brisées » and the « Comète »
. She organized and participated in the evasion to Spain
of 20 Allies
pilots after their aircraft had been shot by the German army
around the Belgian city of Liège
. She was arrested in 1944 after denunciation and was taken to the jail of Maastricht
in Netherlands
where she was tortured
. After four months of detention she was liberated by U.S. troops in August 1944. She never gave any information to the Nazis during her captivity and she managed to keep her resistance partners safe by her brave silence.
Monique de Bissy enlisted as nurse in the French army
in September 1944. After the war she continued to work as a nurse, first in Belgian Congo
, then in Montpellier
(south of France) after the independence of the Belgian colony
.
In 1946 Monique de Bissy married Gerrit Schimmelpenninck with whom she had three children: Gérard (1947), Sonia (1956) and Joëlle (1958). She has had six grandchildren: Stéphanie (1980), Louis (1981), Sophie (1983), Astrid (1987), Xavier (1990) and Olivier (1991).
She died on November 17, 2009, six months after receiving the Légion d'Honneur
from French Senator
Jacqueline Gourault
in the name of President Nicolas Sarkozy
for her contribution to Peace and Freedom during World War II
.
Bissy (family)
Bissy is the name of a famous family from the French nobility that gave poets, generals, bishops, explorers and resistants to France during the last five centuries.-Coat of arms:The coat of arms of the family is three red crayfish on a gold surface ....
(married Schimmelpenninck) was a French/Belgian resistant
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
born March 13, 1923 in Schaerbeek (Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) and died November 17, 2009 in Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) .
Biography
Monique de Bissy started the war as a nurse for the Belgian Red Cross and then she enrolled in the ResistanceResistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
after the Belgian defeat
Battle of Belgium
The Battle of Belgium or Belgian Campaign formed part of the greater Battle of France, an offensive campaign by Germany during the Second World War...
in 1940 (aged 17). She worked for several resistance groups, such as the « Brigade Blanche », the « Ailes Brisées » and the « Comète »
Belgian resistance
Belgian resistance during World War II to the occupation of Belgium by Nazi Germany took different forms. "The Belgian Resistance" was the common name for the Netwerk van de weerstand - Réseau de Résistance or Resistance Network , a group of partisans fighting the Nazis...
. She organized and participated in the evasion to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
of 20 Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
pilots after their aircraft had been shot by the German army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
around the Belgian city of Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
. She was arrested in 1944 after denunciation and was taken to the jail of Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
in Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
where she was tortured
Psychological torture
Psychological torture is a type of torture that relies primarily on psychological effects, and only secondarily on any physical harm inflicted. Although not all psychological torture involves the use of physical violence, there is a continuum between psychological torture and physical torture...
. After four months of detention she was liberated by U.S. troops in August 1944. She never gave any information to the Nazis during her captivity and she managed to keep her resistance partners safe by her brave silence.
Monique de Bissy enlisted as nurse in the French army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
in September 1944. After the war she continued to work as a nurse, first in Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
, then in Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
(south of France) after the independence of the Belgian colony
Congo Crisis
The Congo Crisis was a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by Joseph Mobutu...
.
In 1946 Monique de Bissy married Gerrit Schimmelpenninck with whom she had three children: Gérard (1947), Sonia (1956) and Joëlle (1958). She has had six grandchildren: Stéphanie (1980), Louis (1981), Sophie (1983), Astrid (1987), Xavier (1990) and Olivier (1991).
She died on November 17, 2009, six months after receiving the Légion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
from French Senator
French Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president.The Senate enjoys less prominence than the lower house, the directly elected National Assembly; debates in the Senate tend to be less tense and generally enjoy less media coverage.-History:France's first...
Jacqueline Gourault
Jacqueline Gourault
Jacqueline Gourault is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Loir-et-Cher department. She is a member of the Centrist Union.-References:*...
in the name of President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
for her contribution to Peace and Freedom during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Medals
Numerous countries have expressed their gratitude through number of medals:- Belgium: "Médaille de la Résistance" (Resistance Medal) and "Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1940-1945" (Commemorative Medal of World War II) with Belgian Lion,
- United Kingdom: King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of FreedomKing's Medal for Courage in the Cause of FreedomThe King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom is a British medal instituted on 23 August 1945 to reward those, mainly foreigners, who during the Second World War with the danger of life had contributed to helping British military personnel to escape the enemy and escape from occupied areas...
, - USA: Medal of Freedom,
- France: Légion d'HonneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
See also
- Bissy (family)Bissy (family)Bissy is the name of a famous family from the French nobility that gave poets, generals, bishops, explorers and resistants to France during the last five centuries.-Coat of arms:The coat of arms of the family is three red crayfish on a gold surface ....
- Schimmelpenninck (family)
- French resistance during WWIIFrench ResistanceThe French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
- Belgian Resistance during WWIIBelgian resistanceBelgian resistance during World War II to the occupation of Belgium by Nazi Germany took different forms. "The Belgian Resistance" was the common name for the Netwerk van de weerstand - Réseau de Résistance or Resistance Network , a group of partisans fighting the Nazis...
- Red Cross
- Medal of FreedomPresidential Medal of FreedomThe Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
- List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients