Thomas Elek, also known as Tamás Elek and KERPAL (7 December 1924 – 21 February 1944) was one of 22 members of the French Resistance convicted and executed at the fort of Mont Valérien as one of the Manouchian Group, part of the French liberation army FTP-MOI. After the executions, the Vichy government sought to discredit the resistance members, and widely distributed and posted thousands of copies of the Affiche Rouge. Named for its red background, the poster featured ten of the Manouchian group, including Elek. It identified him as "Elek Juif Hongrois 8 déraillements" (Elek, Hungarian Jew, 8 derailments).
Elek had immigrated as a child with his family from Hungary to France in 1930, when they settled in Paris. After France fell to Nazi Germany in 1940 and enemy forces occupied Paris, he dropped out of the lycée and became involved in underground resistance movements. He was credited with armed attacks on German soldiers, including a train derailment in July 1943 that resulted in the death of 600 men.
Thomas Elek was born in Budapest, Hungary on 7 December 1924 to a family of communist intellectuals. The Elek family (Thomas, his father Sandor, his sister Marthe and his mother Hélène, then pregnant with his brother, Bela) emigrated to France in 1930. They settled in Paris, where his mother, after various minor jobs, became a restaurateur in 1934.
Second World Waredit
Elek left the Lycée Louis-le-Grand at the age of 16, to become involved in the underground movement after Nazi German forces defeated France and occupied Paris. He joined a group of students at the Sorbonne who were linked to the Groupe du musée de l'Homme, wrote and distributed tracts, and stuck papillons (butterflies – flyers) to walls. In August 1942, sympathising with the Jeunesses Communistes (Communist Youth), he became involved with the FTP-MOI (Francs-tireurs et partisans – Main-d'œuvre immigrée) and took up the armed struggle of resistance. His nom de guerre was KERPAL.
Shortly after, Elek was assigned a solo attack on the Rive Gauche German bookstore, in which he used a booby-trapped copy of Marx's Capital. In March 1943, along with the young Czech, Pavel Simo, he made a grenade attack on a restaurant reserved for German officers at Asnières. Simo was arrested, and executed on 22 May 1943 at the Stand de tir de Balard.
On 1 June 1943 in a spontaneous attack, Elek threw two grenades into a group of 70 Germans in front of the Jaurès metro station. He was promoted and named head of the group at the center of the 4th detachment of the FTP-MOI Paris region; they were known as des dérailleurs and commanded by Joseph Boczov.
Elek participated in several railway derailments, notably that of 28 July on the Paris-Château-Thierry line. This derailment is said to have caused the death of 600 German soldiers.[1]
In 1943 Elek was arrested with others of the Manouchian Group and tortured by the Vichy Brigades Spéciales. He was transferred to the Germans and detained in Fresnes Prison. All but the sole woman member of the Manouchian group were condemned to death in a show trial by military officers, and executed by firing squad three days later, 21 February 1944, at Mont Valérien. The woman was beheaded at another site.
Legacyedit
Rather than acting as a deterrent, the Affiche Rouge inspired citizens to more actions with the Résistance. Residents wrote Morts pour La France (Died for France) across the posters of the Manouchian group.
FFI – FTPF, Pages de gloire des vingt-trois, Immigration, 1951.
La Mémoire d'Hélène (autobiographie d'Hélène Elek), éd François Maspéro, 1977
Les Jeunes et la Résistance, dir. Laurence Thibault, AERI/La Documentation Française, 2007
L'Affiche rouge, Adam Rayski, Mairie de Paris, 2003
La Résistance en Ile-de-France, DVD-Rom, AERI, 2004
Le Sang de l'étranger – Les immigrés de la M.O.I. dans la Résistance, S. Courtois, D. Peschanski, A. Rayski, Fayard: 1989
Referencesedit
^. Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
External linksedit
The daily life of a "Terrorist" (French)
January 01, 1970
thomas, elek, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 20. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Thomas Elek news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message Thomas Elek also known as Tamas Elek and KERPAL 7 December 1924 21 February 1944 was one of 22 members of the French Resistance convicted and executed at the fort of Mont Valerien as one of the Manouchian Group part of the French liberation army FTP MOI After the executions the Vichy government sought to discredit the resistance members and widely distributed and posted thousands of copies of the Affiche Rouge Named for its red background the poster featured ten of the Manouchian group including Elek It identified him as Elek Juif Hongrois 8 deraillements Elek Hungarian Jew 8 derailments Elek had immigrated as a child with his family from Hungary to France in 1930 when they settled in Paris After France fell to Nazi Germany in 1940 and enemy forces occupied Paris he dropped out of the lycee and became involved in underground resistance movements He was credited with armed attacks on German soldiers including a train derailment in July 1943 that resulted in the death of 600 men Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early years 1 2 Second World War 2 Legacy 3 See also 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 External linksBiography editEarly years edit Thomas Elek was born in Budapest Hungary on 7 December 1924 to a family of communist intellectuals The Elek family Thomas his father Sandor his sister Marthe and his mother Helene then pregnant with his brother Bela emigrated to France in 1930 They settled in Paris where his mother after various minor jobs became a restaurateur in 1934 Second World War edit Elek left the Lycee Louis le Grand at the age of 16 to become involved in the underground movement after Nazi German forces defeated France and occupied Paris He joined a group of students at the Sorbonne who were linked to the Groupe du musee de l Homme wrote and distributed tracts and stuck papillons butterflies flyers to walls In August 1942 sympathising with the Jeunesses Communistes Communist Youth he became involved with the FTP MOI Francs tireurs et partisans Main d œuvre immigree and took up the armed struggle of resistance His nom de guerre was KERPAL Shortly after Elek was assigned a solo attack on the Rive Gauche German bookstore in which he used a booby trapped copy of Marx s Capital In March 1943 along with the young Czech Pavel Simo he made a grenade attack on a restaurant reserved for German officers at Asnieres Simo was arrested and executed on 22 May 1943 at the Stand de tir de Balard On 1 June 1943 in a spontaneous attack Elek threw two grenades into a group of 70 Germans in front of the Jaures metro station He was promoted and named head of the group at the center of the 4th detachment of the FTP MOI Paris region they were known as des derailleurs and commanded by Joseph Boczov Elek participated in several railway derailments notably that of 28 July on the Paris Chateau Thierry line This derailment is said to have caused the death of 600 German soldiers 1 In 1943 Elek was arrested with others of the Manouchian Group and tortured by the Vichy Brigades Speciales He was transferred to the Germans and detained in Fresnes Prison All but the sole woman member of the Manouchian group were condemned to death in a show trial by military officers and executed by firing squad three days later 21 February 1944 at Mont Valerien The woman was beheaded at another site Legacy editRather than acting as a deterrent the Affiche Rouge inspired citizens to more actions with the Resistance Residents wrote Morts pour La France Died for France across the posters of the Manouchian group Elek is portrayed by actor Gregoire Leprince Ringuet in the 2009 French film The Army of Crime directed by Robert Guediguian See also editFrancs tireurs et partisans Main d œuvre immigree Affiche rouge Brigades Speciales Geheime Feld PolizeiBibliography editFFI FTPF Pages de gloire des vingt trois Immigration 1951 La Memoire d Helene autobiographie d Helene Elek ed Francois Maspero 1977 Les Jeunes et la Resistance dir Laurence Thibault AERI La Documentation Francaise 2007 L Affiche rouge Adam Rayski Mairie de Paris 2003 La Resistance en Ile de France DVD Rom AERI 2004 Le Sang de l etranger Les immigres de la M O I dans la Resistance S Courtois D Peschanski A Rayski Fayard 1989References edit Thomas Elek Archived from the original on 6 May 2009 Retrieved 11 October 2009 External links editThe daily life of a Terrorist French Conversation between d Andre Santini and Henry Karayan French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Elek amp oldid 1213901041, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
