Dissard, Marie Louise (b. 1880)

views updated

Dissard, Marie Louise (b. 1880)

French resistance leader. Born 1880 in Toulouse, France.

When Germany invaded France, joined the French resistance at age 60 (1940); worked with Ian Garrow, a British soldier, on an escape route over the Pyrenees; when Garrow was captured and Albert Gueriesse, the new head, was arrested, became the leader of the network; as an elderly woman, was able to travel throughout France to help downed Allied airman escape (during the course of the war, arranged for safe passage for 250 Allied flyers); when her name was discovered by the Nazis, was forced into hiding (Jan 1944) until France was liberated. Awarded American Medal of Freedom.