Commemorative Medal of the War 1940-1945 medal and ribbon awarded to a Belgian resistance fighter 2005.25.6 back
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Medal and ribbon awarded to Roger Francois by the Belgian government in 1947 for his service to his country during World War II. During the German occupation of Belgium, 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, and was not liberated until April 1945. Francois was honored with multiple awards for his war time service.
Medal and ribbon awarded to Roger Francois by the Belgian government in 1947 for his service to his country during World War II. During the German occupation of Belgium, 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, and was not liberated until April 1945. Francois was honored with multiple awards for his war time service.
- Title: Commemorative Medal of the War 1940-1945 medal and ribbon awarded to a Belgian resistance fighter 2005.25.6 back
- Location: Belgium--History--German occupation, 1940-1945., Belgium--History--German occupation, 1940-1945.
- Provenance: The medal was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 by Guy Francois, the son of Roger Francois., The 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 circular medal with an attached yellow striped grosgrain ribbon. The front has an embossed V (for Victory) with a roaring lion in relief, with numerical dates embossed to the left and right. The front and reverse edges are encircled with an embossed laurel wreath. The reverse has a smaller raised circle crossed with 2 horizontal bars. In the center on separate lines are numerical years, with etched inscriptions in Dutch and French in a circle around the border and on the crossbars. The ribbon has a set of narrow edge stripes: yellow-black-white-black, a wide central yellow stripe, then black-white-black-yellow. A suspension ring is attached at the top to a jump ring through which the ribbon is threaded., Bronze circular medal with an attached yellow striped grosgrain ribbon. The front has an embossed V (for Victory) with a roaring lion in relief, with numerical dates embossed to the left and right. The front and reverse edges are encircled with an embossed laurel wreath. The reverse has a smaller raised circle crossed with 2 horizontal bars. In the center on separate lines are numerical years, with etched inscriptions in Dutch and French in a circle around the border and on the crossbars. The ribbon has a set of narrow edge stripes: yellow-black-white-black, a wide central yellow stripe, then black-white-black-yellow. A suspension ring is attached at the top to a jump ring through which the ribbon is threaded.
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