Fulham resident retells the exploits of her mother in Paris undermining the Nazi occupiers
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From the fall of Paris to liberation, the real-life story of 19 year old Andrée Griotteray’s work as an underground intelligence courier during the war, told by her daughter.
Andrée came from a well-to-do Parisian family, whose experiences in Belgium during WW1, made them naturally opposed to German rule. When the Nazis occupied their city, her seventeen year old brother quickly set up an underground newspaper urging readers to join the resistance, and before long established his own resistance network. Andrée was to support him in both endeavours.
She used her position as an employee of the Police Headquarters in Paris, to type and copy the newspaper and to steal blank ID cards. As the war progressed, she took increasing risks, regularly travelling across France, picking up and dropping off intelligence ultimately destined for the British and Americans, always fearless in the face of immense pressure and using her naive charm to hoodwink the enemy.
For the first time Andrée’s story is told in English, by her own daughter. Based on her diaries and conversations over the years, Francelle brings her mother’s story to life. Here are the narrow escapes and terrifying moments, interspersed with a typical teenager’s concerns, about food, fashion and boys.
Andrée's bravery has been officially recognised; she is the recipient of the Légion d’honneur, Médaille de la Résistance and the Croix de Guerre (to receive all 3 honours is unusual). Her brother Alain was made a Grand Officier de la Légion d’honneur in 2001– an award only held by several hundred Frenchmen and women at any one time.
| Andree's War was recently the book choice of a book club in West Putney. Find out what some of the members thought: "A great read, well researched and particularly enlightening in view of the personal context within which the book is written." "An inspiring read about the nerve and grit shown by a cool headed 19 year old girl, Andree Griotteray, during the occupation of Paris in WW2 as she helps the resistance network set up by her brother. "The book, written by her daughter, gives some idea of the bravery of her mother getting underground news sheets printed, stealing blank ID cards in order to help men and women escaping France and the extraordinarily brave act of getting a colleague off a train headed for Buchenwald! Quite some read!" |
March 5, 2015