The Days after Liberation

The Etobonais had been liberated, but what would happen next? Their sons, brothers and fathers still lay in a mass grave in the churchyard at Chenebier. Jean Perret and others were still in a German concentration camp. The Germans still held territory around Belfort. How could their liberators understand what they had been through and what was still to come?

Monday, November 20

Many of those who rescued us are from Oradour, where the Germans massacred and burned alive the whole village, by the hundreds, men, women and children.  Worse than at Etobon.  Who knows what might have happened to us if the FFI had been delayed by two hours?

Thursday, November 23

A card from Jean, dated August 12.  So much has happened since then.  Does he know?

There are still some Germans in our woods, those left behind, without a doubt, who fire on isolated groups of people.

The paperwork of the mayor’s office is overflowing.  God knows I never asked for this job.  But someone has to deal with it.

Saturday, November 25

At Etobon, we’re thinking about the return of our lost ones.  M.P. went to Vesoul to order forty coffins.  They say that, October 10, the boches shot 27 more French at Banvillars, without a doubt the 27 taken from Chenebier to Belfort the 27^th of September.

Those Germans are still holding on, except to the Chateau, which has been captured, to all of the forts of Belfort:  Roppe, Bessoncourt, le Bosmont, les Hautes et Basses-Perches.