August 25. 60 years ago PARIS LIBERATED

[Rochambeau]

After a week of insurrection General-governor of the Gross Paris Von Choltitz surrender.

A few pics, sorry if it's a bit long for dial-up users.

[Rochambeau]

1. One word, THANK YOU !

I dedicate to you all DU friends that verse from the "Chant Des Partisans"

"Sifflez compagnons, dans la nuit la liberté nous écoute"

[DrWeird]

4. Hey, no problem.

Thanks for saving our asses in our Revolutionary War.

[kestrel91316]

6. DITTO!!!!!!

I loved Paris when I was there for one day in 2001, and have vowed to go back. I was moved to tears by the battle damage to the stonework of Notre Dame. So lucky the whole city wasn't leveled by the Nazis!

[Rochambeau]

11. Battle damage was from desperate snipers

who shot the crowd attending to the Te Deum in the cathedral with general De Gaulle on the 26th of August. It's a famous episode in France because everybody was scared, looking for cover, De Gaulle was just pissed off, standing tall, smoking a cigarette. He could have been killed at the time since he was quite good target. An episode which took a part in the legend, people were very impressed.

US broacast images available at the bottom of that page:

http://www.charles-de-gaulle.org/liberation_de_paris/videos.htm

[fujiyama]

That's an amazing pic!

[fujiyama]

8. .

[DrWeird]

2. I wonder how long until Baghdad is liberated.

Funny how the French were right. I guess they know nazi bullshit when they see it.

[tedoll78]

3. And I, as an American..

thank the French for helping the Americans surround General Cornwallis at Yorktown. Just as they'd be speaking German without our help, we'd be speaking Brit-English without their help.

[leftistagitator]

5. A great day for anti-fascists everywhere.

Another great victory in the eternal struggle between the people and the vile Right.

[rockymountaindem]

7. Liberté, egalité et fraternité!

:toast:

Au France et les Etats Unis! Deux pays unité par histoire et fraternité.

[whirlygigspin]

9. now if we could only liberate Washington

Mr.Petin, your table is ready.

[Michael Harrington]

10. Bob Dole calls this a "Democrat war"

He's absolutely Goddamn right, just not like he meant to be.

[trof]

12. A friend of mine was there.

Danielle was my daughter's high school French teacher and faculty advisor. We became close friends. She was born and raised in Paris. When the city was liberated she was six years old.

The Germans had confiscated all the radios, so her first knowledge of the liberation was when an American tank came clanking up her street. When it stopped in front of her apartment building, she ran down to the sidewalk.

"A HUGE American sergeant jumped down from the tank and hoisted me on his shoulder. He carried me up onto the tank and gave me a ride to the end of the block. I remember we were both laughing and giggling. Thus began my love affair with America."

Danielle got a very stern lecture from her parents for running out into the street. "Everyone was so happy, I don't think they had the heart to give me a spanking."

[markses]

13. The Partisan - Leonard Cohen

When they poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender,
This I could not do;
I took my gun and vanished.

I have changed my name so often,
I’ve lost my wife and children
But I have many friends,
And some of them are with me.

An old woman gave us shelter,
Kept us hidden in the garret,
Then the soldiers came;
She died without a whisper.

There were three of us this morning
I’m the only one this evening
But I must go on;
The frontiers are my prison.

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
Through the graves the wind is blowing,
Freedom soon will come;
Then we’ll come from the shadows.

Les allemands e’taient chez moi,
Ils me dirent, signe toi,
Mais je n’ai pas peur;
J’ai repris mon arme.
J’ai change’ cent fois de nom,
J’ai perdu femme et enfants
Mais j’ai tant d’amis;
J’ai la france entie`re.
Un vieil homme dans un grenier
Pour la nuit nous a cache’,
Les allemands l’ont pris;
Il est mort sans surprise.

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
Through the graves the wind is blowing,
Freedom soon will come;
Then we’ll come from the shadows.

[Rochambeau]

15. This is the version of "La Complainte Du Partisan" from

Emmanuel d'Astier de La Vigerie (Resistance name "Bernard").
A great version from L.Cohen.

The "Chant des Partisans" also known as "Chant de la Liberation" is the official battle song of the fighers.



Translation Mr Terry MAYLAM. Copyright Olivier Housseaux.

Original version:

"Ami, entends-tu le vol noir des corbeaux sur nos plaines ?
Ami, entends-tu les cris sourds du pays qu'on enchaîne ?
Ohé, partisans, ouvriers et paysans, c'est l'alarme.
Ce soir l'ennemi connaîtra le prix du sang et les larmes.

Montez de la mine, descendez des collines, camarades !
Sortez de la paille les fusils, la mitraille, les grenades.
Ohé, les tueurs à la balle et au couteau, tuez vite !
Ohé, saboteur, attention à ton fardeau: dynamite...

C'est nous qui brisons les barreaux des prisons pour nos frères.
La haine à nos trousses et la faim qui nous pousse, la misère.
Il y a des pays où les gens au creux des lits font des rèves.
Ici, nous, vois-tu, nous on marche et nous on tue, nous on crève...

Ici chacun sait ce qu'il veut, ce qu'il fait quand il passe.
Ami, si tu tombes un ami sort de l'ombre à ta place.
Demain du sang noir sèchera au grand soleil sur les routes.
Sifflez, compagnons, dans la nuit la Liberté nous écoute...

[Feanorcurufinwe]

14. Paris Libéré!