Dutch-Paris

Dutch-Paris was an underground network of the Dutch, Belgian and French Resistance with the objective to save people and smuggle documents during World War II.

Dutch-Paris was one of the most important and most successful underground networks for people persecuted for faith or race, Allied pilots and persons of great Dutch importance to help them escape via Switzerland and Spain during the Second World War.

In its heyday, 300 people were part of the underground network, of which about 150 people were arrested. 40 people were slain or died from the effects of captivity. The escape route has greatly contributed to the French resistance, and is responsible for the rescue of more than 1,080 people, including 800 Dutch jews and more than 112 downed Allied pilots.

Jean Weidner was born to Dutch parents in the vicinity of the Swiss-French border at Collonges-sous-Salève - a place in the French department of Haute-Savoie.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Jean was living in Paris. With the subsequent German occupation of France, he fled with several others from Paris to Lyon in the unoccupied part of France. Because he had to abandon his Parisian business, he began a new business in Lyon.

In 1941, Jean founded an escape network of which the location of his Lyonnaise textile business at 13 Rue du Griffon soon became its headquarters. After being merged with Laatsman own network in 1943, it would be known as "Dutch-Paris". He was assisted by Jacques Rens, Edmond Chait, Suzanne Hiltermann-Souloumiac, Jef Lejeune, Herman Laatsman, Paul Veerman, Benno Nijkerk, Hans Wisbrun and father Aan de Stegge. Although the leadership was mainly Dutch, the majority of the network was French. Dutch-Paris was in close contact with other networks of the Belgian and French resistance to obtain false papers including place for sheltering, food and other services.

...
Wikipedia