A courageous woman...

My name is Andrée Lebas. I was born on the 13th of October 1919 in Saint-Etienne, in France. At that time, people were recovering from the war and working to rebuild the country. My mother and my father were factory workers. I had a big brother and a little sister. Some of our friends were really poor but I never needed for anything as my parents were thrifty.

My childhood was quite normal, despite the fact that I lost my sister when she was two. I still talk to her when I miss her. I loved her a lot. She was my only real friend. I grew up close to Nature. My mother used to take a saucepan with us when we went for a walk in the forest. We filled the pan with things we found to make our dinner more interesting. Supplementing our meals in this way helped us to save money. As jobs were rare we had to move a lot. Every time one of our family members lost his job, we packed and moved. It was all about all having jobs to be sure to have enough money to survive.

I went to school. Learning was a pleasure that I wanted to share with all of my friends and the family members that couldn’t go to school. As my mother was working, I took care of my little sister. I was just seven years old when she died. I am still angry and sad about her death. Every time I talk about her I cry. After her death I took the decision to take care of people all my life and to work hard to be able to be a real lady later.

I stopped school when I was fourteen. Unemployment was getting higher every day and we needed money. I worked as a weaver in a factory. My mother and I shared the same post. When she was at the factory, I did the house work. My mother and I were promoted quite quickly. I continued studying on my own time. All my family loved reading and learning. We used to borrow books because it was cheaper. Those years were part of my happy ones.

The Second World War started and it was sometimes harder for us, civilians, than for our soldiers: bombing, diseases, fear. Part of France was occupied, but I was not afraid, I was excited! I decided to become a member of the Résistance. I was a messenger. I hid secret papers in the handlebars of my bicycle. Once, I was pushing my bike along the side of the road because it was broken. I bumped into a German soldier who offered to help me push my bike all the way home. I accepted! I didn’t know anything of the contents of these documents, and I still don’t know anything about them, because, if I was caught by the Germans, I could say, without lying, that I didn’t know anything about them! My grandmother was mad at me because my behaviour used to frighten her. During bombings, she insisted that I take shelter down in the cellar, but I didn’t want to go; I said preferred to die proudly in my own bedroom. I had decided at the beginning of the war that I was going to stay a real patriot.

After the war, I went to Paris because they needed help there. I spent a few sad years in Paris. Then, I met Eugène, the love of my life. He was a tall, strong man with black hair and dark eyes. He was really sweet but serious at the same time, really proud and down-to-earth. He was humble and a pious Catholic too. He used to go to mass every day. I finally married him in 1946. I became the lady I wanted to become. We had twin daughters. We travelled a lot to discover the world. We made a success of running several hairdressing salons. I was really happy and in love.

Though my prince passed away, I still say good morning and good night to him and talk to him every day. I am the same woman, still stubborn and humble, just older. I have six grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren. I have Alzheimer’s, but I stay proud. I still walk alone. My nails are always done (never forget your nails, ladies!). At 95, you can still be a woman...

Journalist's note: My great-grandmother died on 10th December 2015 after being sick for several weeks. She was a model for all my family.

Article by Alix-Marie DARDEN