CAEN, a prefect in
THE TURMOIL.
THE TURMOIL.
This new section will not this time, treat uniformology. This site also allows me to share with you through from my archives, slices of life, sometimes dramatic, as those that follow.
of respect and ethics , the French names of the protagonists set out on the original documents submitted, have been deliberately hidden.
These events theater for the city of Caen, 1942-1943.
On 16 August 1942, the Prefect Michel Cacaud becomes prefect of Calvados.
The Prefect Michel Cacaud
Man goes for a docile servant. It differs, however, his predecessor by the fact that I was shown a zealous servant of the Vichy government and a more flexible administrator to poilitique collaboration with the German authorities. Cacaud improve relationships with Feldcommandantur 723 installed in Caen, the hotel Malherbe place Foch.
Feldkommandantur 723 of Caen in 1942.
Six members of the CF 723 of Caen.
However, the warden does not compromise Cacaud actively in the collaboration, the department administering efficient manner, meeting the German demands, but never devancer.Il is primarily a man diplomat. It is very
difficult almost 70 years after the incident, outside the context of the times, to differentiate between government diplomacy and cooperation.
On 24 September 1942, the National Gendarmerie stopped a truck registered 9767 CT 4 belonging to the City of Caen. When Contol, gendarmes s'appercoivent that the contents of the truck is rather special ... more than 900kg of wheat fill the Rear of the vehicle. Driving the truck, the safety inspector of the city of Caen, Mr. P, to great pains to explain to the authorities from charging.
The Safe foods are sufficiently rare in this period, so that this matter be the most serious.
Services German SIPO-SD (Abbreviation Sicherheitspolizei : German Security Police and SD Sicherheitsdienst : Security Service of the Reich) insatallés 44, rue des Jacobins are quickly informed of this case by FK 723, because it is the SS who manage these cases the black market since the inception of this service in 1942.
team SIPPO SS-SD 44, rue des Jacobins, nearly complete. Two missing on the pictures, the chief MEIER HEYNS and his deputy. From left to right: Zaumzeil Kart, Kart Melhose, Henrich Michaeliss (driver), Herman Seif (seated), Maurer, Helmut Althaus, Karl Ludwig (driver). Herbert von Berthold, Xavier Vetter (half hidden), Kate Bustorf (performer) and Gertrud Treiber (Secretary) - Picture taken between October 1943 and March 1944. (Coll.J.Delarue)
; The SIPO-SD is an intelligence service, police and security in occupied territory. It is a branch of the SS.
German Troops from rue des Jacobins, to the hotel the SIPO-SD situated at No. 44. (Photo by G. Marie)
********
Mr. P. safety inspector of the town is immediately stopped by the service and interogé SIPO-SD.
A report is immediately forwarded to the Prefect Cacaud, the allegations are serious: black market!
Mr. P. put into question several members of the City of Caen, and even indicates the existence a poultry farm (30 to 40) in the courtyard of City Hall, volatile maintained by the caretaker!
For Germans it is too. They demanded punishment to the Prefect "complete".
Original letter addressed to the Prefect Cacaud by MEIER-Chief of the SIPO SD Caen. (Coll.J.Cornieux)
The letter presented above is signed by the Dr.Henrich MEIER, Untersturmführer-SS (Lieutenant), Chief of the SIPO-SD Caen. Professional policeman, a member of the Nazi party in Hamburg. He is leading a dozen SS. Like most of his colleagues, he has a nickname: HENRI.
This case puzzles at the highest point the French administration.
Reeve Cacaud trying to temper this case by explaining that the French authorities have adjudicated the case and that it is completed, the key sanction. Il s'adresse par courrier en date du 15 janvier 43 à MEIER, chef du SIPO-SD.
Original letter to the Prefect Cacaud Untersturmführer SS-Meier (Coll.J.Cornieux). He recalls that according to agreements reached in August 1942 between General SS OBERG (senior commander of the SS in France) and the French police (Secretary General BOUSQUET), the culprits, French nationals, will be punished by justice and French officials and not by the German occupier.
Letter of response from the Cabinet and Head of Government (P. Laval) following the information in this case made by the prefect Cacaud the Government.
In another letter, Meier seeks the testimony of other witnesses in this case. (Coll.J.Cornieux)
Letter announcing the sanction of the French authorities signed Cacaud: Suspension of six months without pay, without prejudice to the penalties more severe succeptibles to intervene. (Coll.J.Cornieux)
Letters (right prefect of the manuscript and left the note typed) the reeve Cacaud indirect contribution to the Director regarding the sanction. (Coll.J.Cornieux )
***********
During the same year-end 42, another case of black market taints the City of Caen;
This time, it is a Deputy Mayor, Mr. L., who is engaged in the trafficking of various foodstuffs such as sugar, coffee, tobacco ...
A large stock of stewardship French remained on site in Caen, after the debacle of 1940, used to such traffic.
Cacaud Reeve had, at the time, "rounded angles "with the Felkommandantur 723, with which maintenance, as already stated, a good relationship. It was meant as compensation, a significant amount of sugar becomes property of the German army. It must be remembered here, the scarcity of these commodities at this time and what it represents as "sacrifice"!
But for SS SIPO-SD, arrived in 1942, the case is not closed over the black market is increasing, shortages of all food there is for something, big cities suffer badly from lack of food. The people behind this case will be arrested and interogées service by the Gestapo.
A large stock of stewardship French remained on site in Caen, after the debacle of 1940, used to such traffic.
Cacaud Reeve had, at the time, "rounded angles "with the Felkommandantur 723, with which maintenance, as already stated, a good relationship. It was meant as compensation, a significant amount of sugar becomes property of the German army. It must be remembered here, the scarcity of these commodities at this time and what it represents as "sacrifice"!
But for SS SIPO-SD, arrived in 1942, the case is not closed over the black market is increasing, shortages of all food there is for something, big cities suffer badly from lack of food. The people behind this case will be arrested and interogées service by the Gestapo.
The regional prefect André Parmentier, Rouen, took the decision to inform the higher authorities Germans. He will contact Haupsturmfuhrer SS DAUBE, commandant Und der
Sicherheitpolizeï, Regional Chief of the SIPO-SD region of Rouen.
Actually what bothers the French authorities is that the SS SIPO-SD, wants to take care of these black market records and decide what action to make one.
French authorities feel discredited!
Regional Prefect Letter PARMENTIER-SS Hauptstrumfürher DAUBE Chief of SIPO-SD Rouen. (Coll.J.Cornieux)
Warden Cacaud a new contact When his superiors to know his instructions.
On 26 January 1943, he sent a letter (see below) at the State Councilor, Secretary General for the police in Vichy. None other than the recipient. Rene Bousquet ..! He asked that only the French authorities consider and deal with this issue, according to agreements between the SS and police OBERG French.
BOUSQUET R. (in coat fur collar) Secretary General of Police, on a visit to Marseille, surrounded by German senior officers (of the Polizei, Waffen-SS ...)
The Gruppenführer- SS (General Division) in conversation with Karl OBERG P. LAVAL. It is the supreme commander of the SS and German police in France since May 5, 1942. His office is located at 57 Boulevard Lannes in Paris.
Original letter to the Secretary of the Prefect Cacaud General of Police R. BOUSQUET. He mentioned the agreements Bousquet / Oberg August 42 (Coll.J.Cornieux)
Warden Cacaud will reply the Ministry of Interior, the letter below it indicates that Minister Secretary of State for the Interior asked Ingrand, Reeve, director of the local administration and communal, then representative of the Minister of Interior for terrtoires occupied private visit that with Dr.SS Oberführer KUPPLER-SIPO-SD Paris, the French administration is the only one to handle these cases.
Department's response to the Prefect Cacaud. (Coll.J.Cornieux)
John Reeve Pierre Ingrand. Following an arrest warrant issued against him in 1945 he fled to Switzerland and then in Argentina. He finished the bank manager of Paris and the Netherlands in this country, and President of the French Alliance in Buenos Aires position held until 1992, when he died!
-SS Oberführer (Colonel) Dr.KUPPLER Chief of SIPO-SD Paris. He held this position due to illness, he has a brain tumor, he asked at 44, to return to the front, he was named SS-Brigadeführer (General) and participate in major battles of Normandy, at the head of the Third SS-Panzer. He died in 1966 in Hamburg, Germany.
************
Unanswered French authorities, the SS Prefect press for copies of records and investigations on this new case. The following letter addressed to the Prefect Cacaud says that records must be forwarded to the department of SIPO-SD for 13 January 1943, with the threat of intervention by higher authorities.
Lette original addressed to the Prefect Cacaud by Deputy Meier, Hauptcharführer-SS (WO) Doctor Harald Heyns. Note the handwritten statement stressed: "sehr Eilt" which means "hurry". Below the signature Heyns, metion the "Head of Service Assistant (Coll.J.Cornieux)
H.HEYNS.Photo collection J . Delarue
H. Heyns said "Bernard" is a doctor of philosophy, a former employee of a firm of Magdeburg, he is aged about thirty years and is the type of perfect Aryan. He speaks fluent French. He even fall in love late 1942 when a French girl from an insurer of Caen and its good: Marie-Clothilde how much (born Lecouturier).
Marie-Clothilde how much (born Lecouturier), his father and his "friends" (photo Resistance and Memory)
HEYNS will conduct a merciless hunt for resistance with a band of French in its auxiliary solde.En 1943 he will head the SIPO-SD, following the departure of MEIER. On the morning of June 6 44, it will shoot 80 prisoners interned at the prison in Caen, Caen before leaving for Falaise.
************
EPILOGUE:
L e Prefect Cacaud will be suspended from office Nov. 17, 1944, without pay and placed under house arrest, his appointment as prefect of the first class "in reward for his bravery and sacrifice he has shown during the terrible bombing City Caen "will be canceled. It will set expectations and set a compulsory retirement at age 48 on 1 July 1946.
*****
Parmentier, the Regional Governor will révoquéle February 26, 1945, a criminal before the High Court of Justice will open the 28th of that month. It will be reinstated in 1957.
*****
HEYNS be captured by the British in the spring 45 and will be brought before a military court for between other prisoners are executed Canadians in Normandy. During his hearing in 1948, he took advantage of an urgent request for relief from a natural need and escapes to the nose and beard of his guards ... no one will see him again!
In 1952 opens in Paris on pocès called "the Gestapo of Caen" A court which will try ... 2 SS prisoners, the head of the jail and a member of Caen ( K. Ludwig, a driver) SIPO-SD 44 rue des Jacobins! All others will be tried in absentia, all escaped justice.
*****
Marie-Clothilde how much (born Lecouturier) after the Caen area, widely criticized and even participated in the interrogation of resistant, will follow her lover, in the debacle of the German army after June 44, Koblenz, where she worked for the local Gestapo in advance of the Allies, masquerading as a deportee, she returned to France and then goes to Morocco where it is arrested in Casablanca July 13, 1945!
will be brought before the High Court justice of Calvados to death, commuted to 20 years hard labor, it will be released on parole in 1954.
*****
The protagonists of the affairs of black market will all be deported despite the intervention of the highest French authorities with the German. Only Mr. L. camps will return ...
