JUNE 1940 THE ANNEXION OF ALSACE-LORRAINE BY THE GERMANS

After the Armistice of June 1940 and their annexion of Alsace-Lorraine, the Germans reopened the Strasbourg University and urged the teachers and students who had moved to Clermont-Ferrand to return immediately to their "Motherland", the Gross Reich. But Vice-Rector Danjon, backed by a number of supporters, had already summoned his authority and his energy to convince the Vichy officials to maintain the Strasbourg French University in Clermont-Ferrand. Staff or students, all rejected any idea of returning. Their "Non Jamais"* reply is without a doubt their very first act of Resistance. It didn't go without sacrifice. It meant being totally cut away from their families. It also implied very great risks, since the Germans would for certain regard them as deserters and make them pay a high price, given the occasion. The following events would confirm this. A practical initiative soon followed: the construction of a cottage by Gaston Zeller, a history professor, on a location close to the Gallo-Romans excavations of Gergovie*. It was built by the students whose family had remained in Alsace Lorraine, officially as a resting place to be used during their holidays.       The country cottage in Gergovie During the summer a big cottage was built in the forest by volunteers, teachers and students, with the help of  the army. The scheme was conducted with the assistance of Vice-Chancellor Danjon and under the command of General Delattre de Tassigny, the military governor of  Clermont-Ferrand. Jean-Paul Cauchi was one of these volunteers, who were nicknamed the Gergovians. Later, other students originating from Alsace-Lorraine crossed the border from the occupied Zone in order to join the Strasbourg University. The cottage in Gergovie was used as a hiding place for them until the Resistance could  provide them with forged identity papers.

SECOND PHASE :   OCTOBER 1941 - RESISTANCE STARTS IN CLERMONT-FERRAND

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