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EDOUARD BARBEL
1905: born in Bonneweg (L)
From 1933: with his father, active against growing Fascism in Europe
1940: escape to France and later return to Luxembourg
1941: joins the ALWERAJE resistance group (the name is made up of the initials of its founders)
1942: arrest by the Gestapo and deportation to Hinzert concentration camp (D)
1943: captivity in several prisons and Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp (F)
1944: deportation to Dachau concentration camp (D)
1945: liberation by the Americans and return to Luxembourg
1949: co-founder of the Musée national de la Résistance in Esch/Alzette
“Front lesson”, in which schoolchildren have to record Wehrmacht “successes” on a map
Statt Unterricht systematische Verdummung, Kartoffelkäfer- , Kräuter-, Tee-, Alteisen-, Knochen- und Lumpensammlungen, statt Erziehung Verrohung, charakterliche Verkrüpplung, geistige und körperliche Peinigung in HJ, BDM, Land- und Arbeitsdienst.
Edouard Barbel, Manifesto to the People of Luxembourg (Ons Zeidong 19), July 1942
Edouard “Ed.” Barbel was the son of a trade unionist. He and his father began campaigning against National Socialism as early as the 1930s. As a teacher, he opposed Nazi school policies from 1940 onwards. In 1941 Barbel joined the Alweraje resistance group in Schifflange; he wrote articles for the group’s newspaper Ons Zeidong and strongly criticized the regime. After the strike against the introduction of compulsory military service in Luxembourg, Ed. Barbel was ordered to work in Germany because of his hostile attitude towards the Germans. Before his departure he was arrested by the Gestapo. Later on he was taken to Hinzert concentration camp, where the SS accused him of having worked for Ons Zeidong. Barbel admitted this and was assigned to a commando to harvest potatoes. His family was not informed of his whereabouts. From 1943 he was imprisoned in various prisons before being sent to Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp, where he had to work in the quarry. During his imprisonment, Barbel wrote patriotic songs. In September 1944 he was moved to Dachau concentration camp, where he continued his resistance work. He was liberated on 19 April 1945 and returned to Luxembourg.
Et le soir, nous aussi nous avons couru, sous les coups de quelques SS, dans un cercle fou dans la cour du SS- Sonderlager Hinzert. Après les toilettes sadiques connues, me voilà au premier étage d’une construction appelée «nos lits», dans une baraque puante. Je n’ai pas dormi un instant en pensant aux interrogatoires de la Gestapo qui allaient sûrement commencer le lendemain.
Henri Wehenkel, quoting Barbel (Hommage au résistant Barbel), 1995
Work
Introduction to gruesome concentration camp life, artist: Albert Kaiser
Plaque commemorating Barbel as founder of the Musée National de la Résistance
Notre « Monument aux Morts » sera le témoignage perpétuel de la reconnaissance et du souvenir à l’intention de tous ceux qui sont morts en combattant l’ennemi les armes à la main ; de ceux qui ont été fusillés et ont succombé de privatisations et de maltraitements dans les camps de concentration, dans les prisons et dans la déportation ; de ceux qui ont été les victimes malheureuses des déportations militaires sur tous les champs de bataille ; des victimes de tous les jours de notre cité ouvrière, de ceux qui, par leur travail et leur mort dans les mines, les usines et les ateliers ont construit la base économique de notre indépendance et qui méritent d’être honorés avec leurs camarades qui ont donné la vie pour la sauvegarde de cette indépendance.
Edouard Barbel, speech at the inauguration of the Musée National de la Résistance, 1956
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