Suzanne Leclézio

Suzanne Leclézio
Born	13 September 1898 Saint Pierre, Mauritius
Died	1 May 1987 Blangy-le-Château, Normandy, France
Other names	Georgette, Suzanne Leclezio, Suzanne Le Clézio
Occupation(s)	French resistance fighter, health worker, nurse, railway social worker
Partner	Yvonne Ziegler (early 1930s–1987)
Honours	Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur, Croix de Guerre, Resistance Medal

Suzanne Leclézio (13 September 1898 – 1 May 1987) was a Mauritius-born French resistance fighter, nurse, and railway social worker. During World War II, she worked in the French resistance with the Cohors-Asturies [fr] network and alongside her partner Yvonne Ziegler, and led the "Marcadet Street Health Center" (also known as Centre d'hygiène sociale, chemin de fer du Nord) in Paris helping save Jewish families. Leclézio was also known by her French resistance code name, Georgette.

Early life and education

Suzanne Leclézio was born on 13 September 1898, in Saint Pierre, Mauritius,[1][2] to French parents. She was raised in Mauritius, and at the age of 24 she moved to France. Leclézio enrolled at the age of 33 in a nursing school,[1] from which she graduated the same year, specializing in childcare.

Career

Marcadet Street Health Center (also known as Centre d'hygiène sociale, chemin de fer du Nord) at 22 rue Marcadet

In the 1930s, Leclézio worked at the SNCF social centre in Paris, led by the Société nationale des chemins de fer français (or SNCF; English: National Company of the French Railways).[1]

Starting in the early 1930s her lesbian partner was artist Yvonne Ziegler, and together they lived in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, at 43 rue Boissonade.[3] Leclézio and Ziegler joined the Cohors-Asturies [fr] resistance network together as second lieutenants.[4][2][5] Leclézio's code name was Georgette.[6]

The couple housed resistance fighters in their home, and started a health centre at 22 rue Marcadet, the "Marcadet Street Health Center" (also known as Centre d'hygiène sociale, chemin de fer du Nord) where they saved Jewish families and feed Jewish children in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.[1][5][7][8]

Ziegler and Leclézio were denounced, and the Gestapo arrested them on 27 July 1944, at their home on Rue Boissonade. They were tortured, then taken to the Fresnes prison and imprisoned, and followed by deportation by the last convoy of political prisoners on 15 August 1944 to the Ravensbrück concentration camp.[3][6][9] Ziegler and Leclézio escaped during the death marches, and in May 1945 were liberated by the Red Army.

Upon her return, Leclézio remained the director of the Marcadet Street Health Center until 1984. Leclézio was named a Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour, received the French military decorations Croix de Guerre, and the Resistance Medal.[6] Ziegler also received the Croix de Guerre and the Resistance Medal.[6]

They retired to Calvados,[6] at La Charretterie, a Normandy farm. They ended their lives in the retirement home of Blangy-le-Château in Normandy, France.

Death and legacy

Leclézio died at the age of 89 on 1 May 1987, in the retirement home in Blangy-le-Château. A few months afterwards, Ziegler died.[1]

The history and story of Leclézio and Ziegler was lost for many years, and in more recent times it has been documented by French history researcher Laurent Thévenet.[6]

In 2022, a tribute plaque was placed at 22 rue Marcadet, honoring both women and their work.[5][6][10][8] The text on this plaque was deliberated on by the Paris Council, and was the first time the word "lesbian" was used on a public plaque in France.[1][11]

A small park in Paris is named "Square du 21-avril-1944", in reference to the date of a nearby bombing that occurred in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, leaving 500 death, and many of the wounded had been treated at the Marcadet Street Health Center.[6]

References

1. Dubuard, Tiphaine (11 March 2022). "Plaque pour Suzanne Leclézio et Yvonne Ziegler : la difficile évocation publique de l'homosexualité d'un couple de résistantes". KOMITID (in French). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
2. "Suzanne Marie Henriette Leclezio". Mémoire des Hommes (in French). Archived from the original on 12 February 2025.
3. Allezard, Clemence (5 May 2020). "Lesbiennes sous le Troisième Reich: des vies passées sous silence" [Lesbians in the Third Reich: Lives Spent in Silence]. KOMITID (in French). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
4. "Yvonne Marie Henriette Ziegler". Mémoire des Hommes (in French). Archived from the original on 12 February 2025.
5. Delon, Stéphanie (6 March 2022). "Suzanne Leclézio et Yvonne Ziegler vont avoir une plaque à leur nom". Jeanne Magazine (in French). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
6. Vincent, Anthony (9 March 2022). "Le couple de résistantes Suzanne Leclézio et Yvonne Ziegler ont désormais une plaque à Paris, et leur histoire vaut le détour". Madmoizelle (in French). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
7. "Suzanne Leclézio et Yvonne Ziegler, femmes oubliées de la résistance aujourd'hui honorées par la ville de Paris". Didier Dubasque (in French). 8 March 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
8. Primet, Raphaëlle (1 February 2021). "Apposition d'une plaque commémorative en hommage à Suzanne Leclézio et Yvonne Ziegler, au 22, rue Marcadet (18e)". Communistes Paris (in French). Retrieved 12 February 2025.
9. "Suzanne Leclezio (1898-1987) et Yvonne Ziegler (1902-1988)". Constellations Brisées (in French). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
10. "8 mars: Paris ravive la mémoire de deux résistantes lesbiennes" [March 8: Paris revives the memory of two deported lesbian resistance fighters]. Tetu.com (in French). 8 March 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
11. Turbiau, Aurore (24 April 2022). "Quels sont les noms qui rayonnent dans la littérature lesbienne ?". The Conversation. Retrieved 11 February 2025.

External links

• Media related to Suzanne Leclézio at Wikimedia Commons