Henri Fertet

Henri Fertet born the October 27th 1926 with Seloncourt and dead the September 26th 1943 with Besancon, is resistant a French.

Member of the Group Guy Mocquet, it is stopped by the Germans and is shot the September 26th 1943 at 7 a.m. 36 with the Citadelle of Besancon, at the 16 years age, with 15 of his comrades.

He was Compagnon of the Release on a purely posthumous basis (decree of the July 7th 1945) but also Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. He also accepted the Military Cross 39/45, the Medal of Resistance, the Cross of the Voluntary Combatant 39/45 as well as the Medal of the Deportees and Internés Resistant.

In the morning of its execution, he writes a last letter with his family. This letter is an upsetting testimony.

Besancon, prison of the Hillock (Doubs)

September 26th, 1943

Dear parents,

My letter will cause you a great sorrow, but I saw you whether full with courage that, I do not doubt it, you will want to still keep it well, would be this only by love for me.

You cannot know what morally I suffered in my cell, that I suffered more to see you, not to more feel on me your tender solicitude that by far, during these quatre-vingt-sept days of cell, I missed your love more than your parcels and, often, I asked you to forgive me the evil that I made you, all the evil that I made you. You cannot doubt what I like you today, because front, I rather loved you by routine but, now, I include/understand all that you did for me. I believe being arrived at the true subsidiary love, with the true subsidiary love. Perhaps, after the war, a comrade will speak it about me, this love that I communicated to him; I hope that it will not fail in this crowned mission from now on.

Thank all the people who were interested in me, and particularly my more close relatives and friends, tell them all my confidence in eternal France. Very extremely kiss my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts and cousins, Henriette. Said to Mr. the Priest that I think also particularly of him and to his. I thank Monseigneur for the great honor that it made me, honor of which, I believe, I was worthy. I also greet while falling my comrades from the college. On this subject, Hennemay owes me a cigarette pack, Jacquin, my book on the prehistoric men. Return the “Count of Assembles-Cristo” in Emeurgeon, 3, chemin Français, behind the station. Give to Maurice Andrey of Maltournée, 40 grams of tobacco that I owe him.

I bequeath my small library to Pierre, my schoolbooks in my dear Papa, my collections with my dear mom, but who she is wary of the prehistoric axe and the sleeve of Gallic sword.

I die for my fatherland, I want France free and of the happy French, not proud France and first nation of the world, but hard-working, hard and honest France.

That the French are happy, here is essence. In the life, it is necessary to know to gather happiness.

For me, you made not concern, I keep my courage and my beautiful mood to the end and I will sing “Sambre and Meuse” because it is you, my dear small mom, who taught it to me.

With Pierre, be severe and tender. Check its work and force it to work. Do not admit negligence. It must be worthy of me. On the “three small negros”, there remains one about it. It must succeed.

the soldiers come to seek me. I hasten the step. My writing is perhaps trembled, but it is because I have a small pencil. I am not afraid of death, I am the so quiet aware.

Papa, I beg you, requests, dream that if I die, it is for my good. Which death will be more honourable for me? I voluntarily die for my Fatherland. We will find ourselves soon all the four, soon with the sky. What hundred years?

Maman remembers:

“And these avengers will have new defenders Who, after their death, will have successors.”

Good-bye, death calls me, I want neither stringcourse, nor to be attached. I kiss you all. It is hard nevertheless to die.

Thousand kisses. Live France.

One condemned to died 16 years.

H. Fertet.

Excuse the spelling errors, not time to read again.

Sender: Mr Henri Fertet, With the sky, close to God.

External bonds

Its biography on the site about the Release

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