Misak and Meline Manuchiani in the pantheon: discover their story with this unflinching biography

“My dear Meline, my dear little orphan, in a few hours I shall be no more of this world. We shall be shot at three o’clock this afternoon. I do not believe it, but I know I shall never see you again.

I was a volunteer soldier in the liberation army and I am dying on the edge of victory and purpose. Happiness to those who survive and taste the sweetness of tomorrow’s freedom and peace. I am sure that the French people and all freedom fighters will know how to honor our memory with dignity.

These are the last words, absolutely touching, written by resistance fighter Misak Manouchian to his wife, on February 21, 1944, a few hours before he was shot at the Mont Valerien prison.

After 80 years, this final belief will be established for posterity by moving his remains to the Pantheon. He is accompanied by his wife, also resistant.

This announcement was made by the President of the Republic to mark the 83rd anniversary of the June 18 address, which the President celebrates as he does every year in the morning, in Mont-Valerien, near Paris, where thousands of resistance fighters and hostages, including. Misak Manouchian, executed by the German army during the occupation.

A refugee in France after the Armenian Genocide in 1915 (his wife would join him in 1925), Misak Manoochian formed the “Manoochi Group”, a very active foreign resistance group close to the French Communist Party, consisting of about sixty men. and Women of Franchisee and Immigrant Workforce Supporters (FTP – MOI). Arrested on November 16, 1943, he was executed along with 23 other resistance fighters at Mont Valerien.

Before the death sentence, the German authorities paid great attention to the use and publicity of the dismantling of the FTP – MOI, known red poster A sad memory that will be plastered massively in France. “Liberators? Liberation by an army of crime!” he announced.

Below is a propaganda video of the Vichy regime, notably showing the faces of five members of the arrested group: Manucciani, Reimann, Alfonso, Fingerweig and Washbrot. All are on this red poster.

The glorious army of crime

This Army of Crime is also the title of director Robert Guediguian’s excellent film that hit our screens in 2009, which deserved much more than its 438,000 viewers.

“Armenian Manuchian, German occupation (my mother was born in Germany) and Communism, these three elements together were probably very close to me. Ever since I was born, I’ve always heard about Manuchian. He’s part of a great pantheon. Anti-communist heroes.

I especially remember when I was a child I read the letter he wrote before his death. When Manuchian said there “I die without hating the German people” it made me feel better about my two origins and humanity in general. Therefore, since all this was very close to me, the idea of ​​​​making this film did not come from me, but Serge Le Peron” The director told us.

But his heroic and tragic story is also largely saturated by the memories of Arsen Chakarian, the last surviving member of the Manuchian group whom Guediguian met and befriended. The director will also return it A powerful tribute When he died in 2018 at the age of 101.

“When we make a historical film, it’s to shed light on the present, it’s because we want, as a filmmaker, but also as a citizen, to look to the past for examples that can help us live today.” Guediguian, who never hid his interest in politics, explained.

Inspired by a true historical and romantic breath, spectacular but without going to an educational dimension, the crime army is transferred with an assistant who mixes together the regular modes of the cinema of Robert Guediguian, such as Jean-Pierre Darussin. Ariane Ascaride, Gérard Meylan and Yann Treguet, and newcomers Virginie Ledoyen, Robinson Stevenin, Grégoire Leprince-Ringet, Lola Naimarck and Adrienne Jolivet. Simon Abkarian already had a role in “Journey to Armenia”.

Of Armenian descent himself, he embodies this tragic and glorious figure of resistance with great conviction.

“This is an important, faithful film. It tells a story and says that at some point there were people who came from elsewhere, Armenians, Jews, Hungarians, Poles, Spaniards, Italians, who suffered fascism in their own countries, came to France. The birthplace of human rights and not He hesitated to take up arms to protect her. He paid dearly.” commented the actor.

Army of Crime is available on Paramount+, VOD as well as DVD/Blu-ray.