There were around forty Dourgnols who came to attend the meeting around a book at the Maison des Associations in Dourgne. Published at the very beginning of the summer by Geste Editions under the signature of Yves Durand, “You will tell them that” relates the rescue of eleven young Jews during the Second World War. Eleven teenagers saved thanks to their registration under false identities at the modern and technical college of Castres. Edmond Durand, a young teacher born in Dourgne, taught there and served as general supervisor. He is one of two adults in the secret. One of the boys, at the end of the 1943-1944 school year, was even welcomed on rue de Rome in Dourgne, in the family home of Alice and Léontine Durand, Edmond’s mother and grandmother. No question, naturally, of revealing the boy’s true identity! The village was still affected, at this time, by the arrest and deportation of three of its inhabitants, the couple Bugis and Clément Eychenne. After summarizing this episode, Yves Durand projected a short video bringing together extracts from interviews broadcast on television almost 25 years ago when his father received the Medal of the Righteous, a decoration awarded by the State of Israel. Then an exchange took place with the room. Often very moving! The mayor of Dourgne, Dominique Cougnaud, whose parents were linked to Edmond Durand and his family, wanted to be present during the meeting at the Maison des associations.
Remember that the book “You will tell them that” is on sale at Le Cocagne tobacco shop here in Dourgne.
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