World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseShort and frail, the Brussels radio shop owner Paul Ledoux seemed harmless to the German occupation forces in Belgium. However, hidden behind his appearance was a the leader of a Belgian resistance cell. For three years, he provided Jews and other men hunted by the Germans with false identification papers, published underground newspapers, and even organized sabotage against German forces. On the night of 12 Aug 1944, he was responsible for bringing down all telephone service in Luxembourg, therefore seriously disrupting German reinforcements heading toward Paris, France. Shortly after that attack, however, he was captured by Belgian fascists at Lecambon rail station. He was turned over to the SD, who did not realize he was not just another uncooperative citizen. Nevertheless, he was sent to the Ruhr valley as a forced laborer. As Allied bombing on the Ruhr became more frequent, Ledoux tended to the wounded with his basic first aid knowledge; he was so helpful that after the raid of 23-24 Oct 1944, he was named by the commander of the Dechenschule camp as the camp medic, since the camp's physician was always intoxicated. After the war, he was a witness who testified at the Nuremberg trials, citing the total disregard of the conditions of the prisoners and the forced workers by the Germans who were placed in charge of the camps.

Visitor Submitted Comments

Show older comments