"What I have known, personally, is the life of a resistance woman. There are lots of men who have kept their underground activities secret, from their whole family, and from their wife. That complete terrible silence could be imposed upon them by their participation in dangerous actions.
But, in general, here is what happened. For weeks, months, years sometimes, us, the women, we lived beside a tense man, distracted, often in a bad mood because he felt humiliated. One beautiful day, the face was cheered up. The man has found a way to get into a resistance organisation. He must leave his position or his studies. No matter, he wants to pledge. Then, he turned to his wife, to his mother if he was young, and he said to her: “Let me go, accept and share my sacrifice.” I cannot say that women accepted this lightly or with enthusiasm, but they finally said “yes” all the same. And this agreement was in itself an act of resistance, and wasn’t always easy. Because many people forget the danger when they are used to it.
Then began for the wife, for the mother, suffering, and anguish of every moment.
But- it can be said- woman more often shared the risks, she became an associate. When the man left his home, she answered the phone, gave him a hint of the caller’s name, the location and nature of the rendezvous. If he were told: “I am Monsieur Someone, a dentist, I expect your husband on such a day”, she wouldn’t protest that her husband did not have toothache. She interpreted and recorded."
But, in general, here is what happened. For weeks, months, years sometimes, us, the women, we lived beside a tense man, distracted, often in a bad mood because he felt humiliated. One beautiful day, the face was cheered up. The man has found a way to get into a resistance organisation. He must leave his position or his studies. No matter, he wants to pledge. Then, he turned to his wife, to his mother if he was young, and he said to her: “Let me go, accept and share my sacrifice.” I cannot say that women accepted this lightly or with enthusiasm, but they finally said “yes” all the same. And this agreement was in itself an act of resistance, and wasn’t always easy. Because many people forget the danger when they are used to it.
Then began for the wife, for the mother, suffering, and anguish of every moment.
But- it can be said- woman more often shared the risks, she became an associate. When the man left his home, she answered the phone, gave him a hint of the caller’s name, the location and nature of the rendezvous. If he were told: “I am Monsieur Someone, a dentist, I expect your husband on such a day”, she wouldn’t protest that her husband did not have toothache. She interpreted and recorded."
— Elisabeth Terrenoire (played an important role in the Resistance in Lyon)
