German resistance points

German resistance points
Eiffel Tower – Luxembourg Palace
Approximately 55 minutes - 4 km (2.5 miles)
Landmarks
After landing in Normandy on June 6th 1944 the Allies
advanced eastwards.
In August 1944, Paris was under the control of General
von Choltitz, appointed commander of Greater Paris (the
German military command zone which included Paris
and the Paris region) by Hitler on August 7th 1944.
Since the Landing the different Resistance movements,
in particular the National Resistance Council (CNR) and
the Parisian Liberation Committee (CPL), had been
encouraging Parisians to revolt. The French Forces of the
Interior (FFI), the Resistance movement’s military body,
also played a major role in the Paris uprising that started
on August 19th, thanks in particular to Colonel RolTanguy, head of the FFI in Île-de-France. The insurgents
put up barricades all over the city.
In view of these events the Allies, who had initially
planned to take a detour round Paris, authorised General
Leclerc, commander of the 2 nd Armoured Division (A.D.),
to go to Paris to provide support for the uprising. On
August 24th part of the 2nd A.D. entered Paris and after
the next day’s battle General von Choltitz surrendered.
The following day, General de Gaulle paraded from the
Arc de Triomphe to Notre-Dame.
1/5 – Le Champ de Mars
Although now a public garden, the Champ de Mars was
originally designed as a training ground for the Ecole
Militaire. The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 Universal
Exposition.
1. The Sherman tanks of the 2nd A.D. take up positions for the night
on the Champ de Mars, August 25th.
2/5 – L’Ecole militaire
The Ecole Militaire was created by Louis XV in the middle
of the 18th century. The architect was Ange-Jacques
Gabriel. The building is still home to the military higher
education organisations.
Under the Occupation the Ecole Militaire was a German
barracks which was attacked by men of the 2nd A.D. on
August 25th 1944.
2. A tank of the 4th squadron of the 12th cuirassiers arriving on Avenue
de Suffren in preparation for the attack; an FFI soldier is posted at a
German machine gun in a battery behind sandbags, August 25 th 1944.
3. The Abbeville tank of the 12th cuirassiers in front of the Ecole
Militaire transporting German prisoners, August 25th.
Go along Avenue de la Motte-Piquet then Esplanade des
Invalides and turn right onto Quai d’Orsay.
See the destination on Google map.
3/5 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 37 Quai d’Orsay
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located in the building
originally built for this purpose in the middle of the 19th
century.
Under the Occupation, the Ministry had been
requisitioned for the Central Security Office, which was
one of the principal bodies of the Reich and was in
charge of managing concentration camps and
deportation. Fighting was particularly brutal and many
were killed.
4. Side-on view of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, damaged by a fire
after the fighting, August 25th 1944.
5. The Metz tank of the 12th Cuirassiers of the 2nd A.D. in action
against the Germans barricaded in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Rue de Constantine, August 25th 1944.
Continue along Quai d’Orsay in the same direction.
See the destination on Google map.
4/5 – Bourbon Palace
The Chamber of Deputies, now the National Assembly, is
at 33 Quai d’Orsay. The Palais Bourbon gets its name
from the mansion built in the 18th century, now forming
the core of the current building. Since the Revolution it
has housed the Lower House of Parliament, the Chamber
of Deputies under the Third Republic, and the National
Assembly since the Fourth Republic.
During the Occupation the Palais Bourbon was the
headquarters of the military high command in France.
From 5pm, soldiers from the 2nd A.D. accompanied by
F.F.I. soldiers and firefighters advanced towards the
Palais Bourbon to force a surrender.
6. Tank destroyers of the Armoured Regiment of Marine Riflemen on
Pont de la Concorde in front of the Chamber of Deputies.
7. Surrender of the German garrison in the Chamber of Deputies.
Go along Boulevard Saint-Germain (approx 25 minutes),
then turn right onto Rue de Seine and continue on Rue
de Tournon.
Or take the bus n°84 towards the Panthéon and get off
at the Sénat.
See the destination on Google map.
8. Lutzen tank engaged in battle on Boulevard Saint-Michel against
a German tank at the Senate.
5/5 – Luxembourg Palace, Senate, 15 Rue de
Vaugirard
The Luxembourg Palace was built at the beginning of the
17th century for Marie de Medici. It owes its name to the
Hotel de Luxembourg on the site of which it was built.
After the Revolution it was home to the Upper Chamber
of Parliament, and then the Senate under the Third
Republic and Fifth Republic..
The Senate housed the offices of the Luftwaffe, the
German air force. It was extremely well defended with 13
tanks and 600 men. Commander Putz attacked the
Palais du Luxembourg with his subgroup formed of two
companies from the 501st regiment of battle tanks, a
company from the Chad March Battalion and the 3rd
squadron of tank destroyers of the Armoured Regiment
of Marine Riflemen. The fighting continued until 6:30pm.
Surrender negotiations were led by Colonel Crépin of the
2nd A.D. and lasted three hours before Colonel von Berg,
commander of the Senate, agreed to surrender to the
men of Leclerc’s division.
9. View of the courtyard of the Senate after Liberation fighting.
10. A destroyed German tank in front of the Théâtre de l’Odéon on
the corner of Rue Rotrou and Rue de Vaugirard.
Credits
1. Virat Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin,
Musées
2. Leclerc Coll.. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin,
Musées
3. Leclerc Coll.. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin,
Musées
4. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées
5. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées
6. Sénéchal Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin,
Musées
7. American Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin,
Musées
8. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées
9. Gandner Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin,
Musées
10. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées
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