Blackbirds, April 28, 1944 by Jean-Michel Lahieyte

On April 28, 1944, a German expedition burst into the village of Les Merles. When the assailants withdrew at nightfall, five young guerrillas and five hostages were shot. Among them, the young Raoul Trémoulinas, resident of the place whose house is in flames.

75 years later, René his brother, Odette, Irène, Paulette and Marc, present on site, remember. From their testimonies, questions arise: the maquis, their relations with the population, solidarity, denunciations.

Jean-Michel Lahieyte

Jean-Michel Lahieyte is retiring in Périgord. Passionate about history, he is particularly interested in the Resistance. To tell this tragic event, thanks to his mother-in-law, he collected testimonies from people present on the spot on April 28, 1944. He also consulted many archives and read a lot.

Among the testimonies collected, you can discover those of René Trémoulinas, Irène Dutriat, Paulette Ravier and Odette Martial, both in the book, but also through audio recordings.

Listen to Jean-Michel Lahieyte in the Reading Corner of France Bleu Périgord:


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