City of Ghent Commemorative Medal 1940-1945 medal with ribbon awarded to a Belgian resistance fighter 2005.25.5 front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
City of Ghent Commemorative Medal 1940-1945 medal with ribbon awarded to Roger Francois by the city of Ghent, Belgium, to honor his service in the Belgian resistance during the German occupation, May 1940-September 1944. The German military governed alongside the Belgian civil service. The Germans sought to deport all Jews to concentration camps; the Belgian civil service did not cooperate. By 1942, there was a significant resistance movement. Francois actively assisted Jews in avoiding these round-ups and in finding places to live in hiding. He was captured and interned at Buchenwald and Flossenburg concentration camps in Germany, and was not liberated until April 1945. Francois was honored with multiple awards for his war time service.
City of Ghent Commemorative Medal 1940-1945 medal with ribbon awarded to Roger Francois by the city of Ghent, Belgium, to honor his service in the Belgian resistance during the German occupation, May 1940-September 1944. The German military governed alongside the Belgian civil service. The Germans sought to deport all Jews to concentration camps; the Belgian civil service did not cooperate. By 1942, there was a significant resistance movement. Francois actively assisted Jews in avoiding these round-ups and in finding places to live in hiding. He was captured and interned at Buchenwald and Flossenburg concentration camps in Germany, and was not liberated until April 1945. Francois was honored with multiple awards for his war time service.
- Title: City of Ghent Commemorative Medal 1940-1945 medal with ribbon awarded to a Belgian resistance fighter 2005.25.5 front
- Location: Belgium--History--German occupation, 1940-1945., Belgium--History--German occupation, 1940-1945.
- Provenance: The City of Ghent medal was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 by Guy Francois, the son of Roger Francois., The City of Ghent medal was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 by Guy Francois, the son of Roger Francois.
- Subject Keywords: Concentration camp inmates--Germany--Biography. Guerillas--Belgium--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Belgium--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Political prisoners--Germany--Personal narratives, Belgian. World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--Personal narratives, Belgian., Concentration camp inmates--Germany--Biography. Guerillas--Belgium--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Belgium--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Political prisoners--Germany--Personal narratives, Belgian. World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--Personal narratives, Belgian.
- Type: Military Insignia, Military Insignia
- Rights: Permanent Collection, Permanent Collection
- External Link: See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Medium: Bronze colored, circular medal with an attached ribbon that is divided vertically with white on the right and black on the left, the colors of Ghent. The front has an embossed design of 2 men in profile: on the left is a crowned king with a broken chain in his right hand; with his left arm, he embraces a man whose forehead he is kissing. Above are the numerical years 1940 1945 and below is a shield with the lion of Ghent, and an upright laurel branch. The reverse has 2 laurel branches and Latin text. A suspension ring is attached at the top to a jump ring through which the ribbon is threaded., Bronze colored, circular medal with an attached ribbon that is divided vertically with white on the right and black on the left, the colors of Ghent. The front has an embossed design of 2 men in profile: on the left is a crowned king with a broken chain in his right hand; with his left arm, he embraces a man whose forehead he is kissing. Above are the numerical years 1940 1945 and below is a shield with the lion of Ghent, and an upright laurel branch. The reverse has 2 laurel branches and Latin text. A suspension ring is attached at the top to a jump ring through which the ribbon is threaded.
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