Raymond Aubrac

French Engineer and Resistance Leader

Born: July 31, 1914 at Lyon

     He was born Raymond Samuel to Jewish parents who died in Auschwitz. Samuel was a civil engineer who became Aubrac (also Vallet, Ermelin and Balmont) the Resistance leader.

     He began his activity as a founding member of Liberation-sud then joined the staff of General Charles Delestraint's Secret Army in 1943.

     Aubrac was arrested by the Milice on March15, 1943 and released. He was arrested a second time on June 21, 1943 in the company of Jean Moulin, held at Montluc near Lyon, tortured by Klaus Barbie and sentenced to death. Resistance commandos led by his wife Lucie freed him on October 21, 1943. The couple and their first child escaped to London in February 1944.

     Aubrac was appointed Commissioner of the Republic in Marseilles in August 1944. He worked for the Ministry of Reconstruction where he was in charge of programs to clear unexploded ordinance until 1948.