Marcel Pinte by ABIGAIL HORTON

Fun Fact!!!

ah8579971 — 2024-04-18 19:11:50 UTC

Marcel was a young boy he was on only six years old when he helped his dad in resistance during WWII.

Background knowledge

ah8579971 — 2024-04-18 19:17:57 UTC

Marcel was born on April 12, 1938 in Valenciennes, France. He was the youngest of five children. His father, Eugene Pinte, was a local resistance leader. He was given the nickname “Quinquin” after a children’s song. "Marcel was happy to spend time in the woods with Resistance fighters, known as maquisards, learning about their clandestine methods." On the night of 19 August 1944 Marcel sadly passed away at age six.

How did Marcel help?

ah8579971 — 2024-04-18 19:22:58 UTC

Marcel was a courier for local resistance fighters and worked mainly for his Dad. He also made a great messenger. "The Nazis didn’t question Marcel, who, because of his young age, avoided serious scrutiny. “With his school satchel on his back he didn’t raise suspicions,” said his relative. However, Marcel’s youth could be a concern too". Marcel was able to take away suspicion because of how he looked and nobody ever would have guessed a SIX year old boy would be able to help in resistance.

What did Marcel's relatives say about him?

ah8579971 — 2024-04-18 19:26:05 UTC

"Marcel surprised people with his “astonishing” memory and was trusted to deliver messages to Resistance chiefs, which he hid under his shirt. “He understood everything at once,” Marc Pinte, grandson of Marcel’s father Eugène". and his grandma described him as, "an extremely happy, intelligent and brilliant brother, sparkling with mischief". Whenever Marc described Marcel he made Marcel sound like he wasn't like any other boy his age. His mind was capable of so much. When Marcels grandma describes Marcel you can tell that Marcel was a very bubbly six year old boy. All quoted from the source above.

How did Marcel Pass?

ah8579971 — 2024-04-18 19:31:28 UTC

"One night Marcel went with a group of maquisards to a parachute drop of munitions and other supplies. They had received a code message "The forget-me-not is my favourite flower. The rendezvous was at La Gaubertie and suddenly, as they were waiting, one of the men's Sten guns went off by accident, killing Marcel with several bullets". The way Mercel died was very sad, but it was also an accident. Marcel just wanted to go with them and return home. The first part happened the second part sadly did not. All quoted from the website listed above in the section "How Did Marcel Die"?

How has Marcel been honored?

ah8579971 — 2024-04-18 20:00:04 UTC

In 1950, Marcel was awarded the rank of sergeant of the resistance after his death. In 2013, he posthumously received an official card for “volunteer combatants of the resistance” from the National Office of Former Combatants and War Victims. Marcel was honored by France regarded as its youngest resistance hero.

Why did people have concern with Marcel being the messenger?

ah8579971 — 2024-04-18 20:10:31 UTC

Marcel often sang songs that he had learned from other soldiers, so some of his dad's friends told his dad to be cautious about it. Marcel also was very lenient, but the main reason was because Marcel was only six years old.

What was Marcels home like?

ah8579971 — 2024-04-19 18:55:44 UTC

Often Eugène(Marcels dad), his wife Paule and their five children hosted secret farmhouse meetings with Resistance fighters and even hid a British paratrooper in the loft, so it was a hive of activity at night.

Video!!!!!!!

ah8579971 — 2024-04-19 19:00:33 UTC