Joseph Kuhn, resistant of the shade
The extraordinary story of Joseph Kuhn, also known as Mademoiselle Irène.
In 1940, Alsace-Moselle was annexed and became part of German territory.
From April 1941 onwards, the German occupant decided to recruit young Alsatians and Mosellens to work for the Reich. This mandatory service constituted intensive military training before forced integration into the Wehrmacht.
In Sélestat, the three sons of the Kuhn family were likely to be recruited to fight.
The youngest of the Kuhn brothers, Tharsice, joined the Luftwaffe as part of the support staff from the age of 16 years. He managed to escape during furlough and hid until the Liberation in the roof space of Sélestat hospital with the help of the building's manager.
René, the youngest, was given up by a nurse when he tried to escape his recruitment. He was sent to the eastern front, where he died in 1944 in Latvia, aged just 20.
Declared fit for German military service in 1942, the eldest brother, Joseph, tried to return to the French zone. Spotted by a German patrol, he managed to hide, but his heel was hit by a bullet. Unable to continue, he went back and sought refuge with his aunt and uncle.
Dans la trappe qui permet l'accès à la cache, Joseph Kuhn arbore à sa boutonnière une croix de Lorraine dans le V de la Victoire (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Hunted by the Gestapo and the police, Joseph had no choice but to disappear. With the help of his brothers and his uncle, he created a hiding place under a hatch in the family kitchen.
Joseph Kuhn portant la Croix de Lorraine et le V de la victoire au revers de sa veste dans sa cache aménagée dans la cave de Triembach (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Day and night, Joseph spent 25 months in his hiding place, which was incredibly cramped, measuring 11 feet long by 24 inches wide (3.4 m x 60 cm ). The only furniture he had was a chair on which he tried to sleep and a bucket for a toilet; all lit by a candle.
Joseph Kuhn écoute Radio-Londres avec ses tantes (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
From time to time, he left his hiding place and, despite the dangers, Joseph spent a few moments on the surface listening to the BBC news …
Joseph Kuhn joue aux échecs avec son frère René (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Playing chess …
Joseph Kuhn casqué (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
… or taking photographs.
Joseph Kuhn avec son frère René incorporé de force (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Throughout the course of these 25 months, Joseph took a series of photographs. Joseph posed, proudly sporting the Cross of Lorraine and the V for victory, stabbing the Nazi flag, accompanied by René, who was already part of the force.
It's not difficult to imagine what would have happened if the Germans had got their hands on just one of these images ...
"… you can't imagine what his family went through. All the anxiety. The fear of their cover being blown. The interrogations led by the Gestapo. … I had to save my brother. … If they had found Joseph, they would have killed him. No doubt about it. Killed." Tharsice, 2004.
Joseph Kuhn déguisé en mademoiselle Irène (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
On November 23, 1944, Joseph learned of the Liberation of Strasbourg. To prepare for his return to the world after spending 25 months in hiding, he disguised himself as a young woman named Mademoiselle Irène.
Mademoiselle Irène. Joseph Kuhn déguisé en femme lorsqu'il rejoignit les lignes américaines en novembre 1914 (1944) by Joseph Kuhn (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Close-shaven, wearing a slim-fitting flowery dress, with his thick hair curled, this is how he dressed to greet the Americans who came to liberate the region.
"It wasn't easy. One day, when he (she) was shaving … a grenade fell close by. Frightened, he cut himself. Imagine the dilemma!" Tharsice, 2004.
He finally regained his freedom and his identity on November 29, 1944, after two years spent in hiding.
"My health is completely ruined, which is not surprising after spending over two years living in a cave."
Weakened by the dark and damp conditions of his confinement, Joseph Kuhn died on September 19, 1947, just 25-years old.
A story written and edited by the teams of the Musée de l'Armée.
© Musée de l’Armée
This story was produced as part of the temporary exhibition Photography at War (from 6 April to 24 July 2022): https://www.musee-armee.fr/au-programme/expositions.html
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