大象传媒

This account is based on information provided by Mr Jean-Pierre Nogaret, born in the village of Badaroux, France in 1923. It takes place in 1943. At that time Mr Nogaret was on the run from the Germans to avoid being deported to Germany as part of the Compulsory Work Order ('Service Travail Obligatoire') that obliged all young men over the age of 20 to work for the Germans. One of those who helped Mr Nogaret during this time of need was his cousin, Father Fernand Nogaret, a Catholic priest who used the power of prayer to prevent them being picked up by the the Gestapo. This short acount has been written to honour the courage of Father Fernand Nogaret, who also helped many others during his priestly vocation, especially during the years when France was occupied by the Germans. Most of these acts of courage and kindness will never be known except to those who benefited from them. I am also indebted to Mr Jean-Pierre Nogaret for his testimony and relating this particular episode of the war.

Fr茅d茅ric Nogaret, known by everyone as 'Fernand', came from the village of Le Monastier in the department of Loz猫re, southern France. Before World War Two, Fernand Nogaret became a Roman Catholic priest and had been appointed as curate to Allenc, another village in Loz猫re.
At the outbreak of war, Father Fernand had been mobilised as a soldier. After the catastrophe of the Allied defeat in 1940, Father Fernand became a Prisoner of War, along with many other thousands of French soldiers. However, because he was a priest, Father Fernand was sent with a medical convoy to the Swiss border. After that he decided he may as well go back home to Loz猫re and resumed his duties as a village priest. By this time, Allenc was in the 'Unoccupied Zone' of France, with the Government of Marshal P茅tain based in Vichy.
On 16 February 1943, the French Vichy Government passed a law bringing in a Compulsory Work Order ('STO') effectively forcing young Frenchmen to be compulsorily deprted to Germany to do civilian work. Since 11 November 1942, the Germans had occupied the Vichy controlled Zone, including the town of Mende, the capital of Loz猫re. Father Fernand's cousin, Jean-Pierre Nogaret, was at that time a student at Mende College, and he was one of those who decided to go on the run to avoid deportation to Germany. Obtaining forged identity papers from an art teacher in Mende, Jean-Pierre Nogaret became a 'woodcutter', allowing him a degree of freedom to work and to travel.
Even with false identity papers it was still difficult for those on the run to travel. People in this predicament still had to rely on the assistance and goodwill of others to help them travel by public transport. The problem for people with false identity papers was that the Germans (Gestapo) and the French 'milice' (Vichy police) were liable to check identity papers several times each day.
One day Jean-Pierre Nogaret needed to take the train from Mende Railway Station. On this occasion, Father Fernand helped out his cousin in two ways. Firstly, he kitted out Jean-Pierre in some spare priestly clothing. Secondly, Father Fernand accompanied Jean-Pierre on the journey. In France there is a saying that "The habit does not make the monk". This was indeed the case that day at Mende Station. Unfortunately for Jean-Pierre, his identity papers were made out for a 'woodcutter'. Hence, his priestly habit would not stand the test if the identity papers were checked, in which case he would be arrested together with anyone travelling with him.
Initially, all went well until two Military Policemen got on the train. They then asked everyone to produce their identity papers. Being a genuine Catholic priest, Father Fernand had in his possession a 'Missal' which is a book with the prayers and readings to follow the Mass, the name for the Catholic service of worship. He passed this to his cousin who was not a priest and indicated they should begin to say the prayers in the Missal! When the Germans saw the two priests at genuine and sincere prayer, they passed by the compartment. The two 'priests' were the only two people on the train who were not asked for their identity papers. According to Jean-Pierre Nogaret, at that time during the War, there was a respect for members of the clergy, even by the Germans and the Militia.
On that particular journey, Father Fernand was the 'Guardian Angel' of his cousin. By relying on a belief in the power of prayer, Father Fernand saved both of them from being arrested, probable deportation and even possible execution.

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