Jacques Lusseyran

Profession: Author

Nationality:

Biography: Jacques Lusseyran, who was blinded in an accident at age 7, is best known for his leadership in the French Resistance during World War II, his survival of the Buchenwald concentration camp, and his autobiographical reflections in "And There Was Light" (1953).

At age 17, Lusseyran formed the Volunteers of Liberty, a resistance group that distributed pro-resistance leaflets and eventually merged with the larger Défense de la France organization. In July 1943, he was arrested by the Gestapo due to betrayal and spent six months in Fresnes prison before being transferred to Buchenwald.

In the concentration camp, Lusseyran did not participate in forced labor due to his blindness but instead served to cultivate a spirit of resistance among the French and German prisoners. He was one of only 990 survivors out of 2000 inmates from his group when the camp was liberated in April 1945.

After the war, Lusseyran taught French literature in the United States and authored several books, including his autobiography "And There Was Light" (1963), which chronicles his early life and wartime experiences.

He received the Prix Louis Barthou from the Académie Française in 1954, was honored as a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, and was awarded the Médaille de la Résistance avec rosette.

Born: September 19, 1924
Birthplace: Paris, France

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rat
Star Sign: Virgo

Died: July 27, 1971 (aged 46)
Cause of Death: Car accident