Lemaire, Bernard
Item
Name
Lemaire, Bernard
Given name
Bernard
Family name
Lemaire
Relation
French YCW leader
One-line bio
Bernard Lemaire was a French YCW leader, who was sent to Germany under the Compulsory Labour Service Scheme, where he organised young workers. He was eventually arrested and sent to Buchenwald Concentration Camp where he died on 11 October 1944. He was beatified on 13 December 2025.
Biography
Born on 27 July, 1920 in Gonneville-la-Mallet (Seine-Inférieure, Seine-Maritime), died on 11 October, 1944 in Buchenwald (Germany); carpenter; federal JOC leader; STO; died in deportation.
Bernard Lemaire's father served in the army from 1914 to 1920. Afterwards, he worked as a laborer and then as a carter at the Polaire brewery. His mother had four daughters and four sons; Bernard was the eldest. In 1930, the family moved to Applemont, to the new workers' housing development. In 1936, his mother died.
In 1932, Bernard entered technical school to study cabinetmaking and graduating in 1937. That same year, he met André Robillard, a member of the Young Christian Workers (JOC) from Harfleur, who encouraged him, along with Maurice Grandet and the young workers from the Applemont parish, to join the JOC after the success of the national gathering at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
Bernard Lemaire, Maurice Grandet , Paul Cavelier, and several local youths approached Father Varignon, the parish priest of Aplemont, to obtain a meeting place for the newly formed Young Christian Workers (JOC) section. After an initial refusal, they were eventually successful. Bernard Lemaire was hired by the Renault company.
In early 1939, he became the federal treasurer for Le Havre, part of the team headed by Charles Héricher. He also became responsible for the sector encompassing Sainte-Cécile, Aplemont, Rouelles, Fontaine-le-Mallet, Montivilliers, Epouville, and Harfleur. On 14 May, 1939, the Young Christian Workers (JOCF) and the Young Christian Workers (JOCF) organised a Labour Day celebration with a family theme to raise funds for the renovation of the Château de Camp-Dolent, which the JOCF had converted into a rest and recreation center.
Despite the German occupation and the JOC (Young Christian Workers) being placed under surveillance and then banned from 3 August, 1943, the organisation continued to train its members through action.
In April 1943, he received a conscription order for the Compulsory Work Service (STO) to make himself available to the Todt Organization. He was assigned to the Nice-Havrais site and then to the Eawy Forest for the construction of a V1 launch site. On 7 July, 1943, he was arrested and sent by train from Le Havre to Cologne, Germany, along with several hundred other young people, transported in freight cars.
After a three-day journey, he was housed in one of three camps inhabited by more than 2,000 civilians and assigned to the Todt Organization.
Very quickly, he joined the Catholic teams that were organizing clandestinely with members of the Young Christian Workers (JOC), religious orders, seminarians, and requisitioned priests.
On 28 January, 1944, he was granted leave. Back in Le Havre, despite pressure from his fiancée, his relatives, and Father Varignon. He refused to be a draft dodger, believing that his place as a "witness of Christ" was among the young workers. Returning to Cologne, the Young Christian Workers (JOC) group expanded its mutual aid services and solidarity activities among all the forced laborers (STO). The network made contact with German Catholics.
In March 1944, priests were arrested and imprisoned. On 13 July, 1944, he was interrogated by the Gestapo. There were 64 others in this situation, from all over Germany. On 16 September, 1944, he was taken to the Buchenwald concentration camp (Germany).
Weakened and ill, he died on 11 October 1944.
He was beatified on 13 December 2025.
Bernard Lemaire's father served in the army from 1914 to 1920. Afterwards, he worked as a laborer and then as a carter at the Polaire brewery. His mother had four daughters and four sons; Bernard was the eldest. In 1930, the family moved to Applemont, to the new workers' housing development. In 1936, his mother died.
In 1932, Bernard entered technical school to study cabinetmaking and graduating in 1937. That same year, he met André Robillard, a member of the Young Christian Workers (JOC) from Harfleur, who encouraged him, along with Maurice Grandet and the young workers from the Applemont parish, to join the JOC after the success of the national gathering at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
Bernard Lemaire, Maurice Grandet , Paul Cavelier, and several local youths approached Father Varignon, the parish priest of Aplemont, to obtain a meeting place for the newly formed Young Christian Workers (JOC) section. After an initial refusal, they were eventually successful. Bernard Lemaire was hired by the Renault company.
In early 1939, he became the federal treasurer for Le Havre, part of the team headed by Charles Héricher. He also became responsible for the sector encompassing Sainte-Cécile, Aplemont, Rouelles, Fontaine-le-Mallet, Montivilliers, Epouville, and Harfleur. On 14 May, 1939, the Young Christian Workers (JOCF) and the Young Christian Workers (JOCF) organised a Labour Day celebration with a family theme to raise funds for the renovation of the Château de Camp-Dolent, which the JOCF had converted into a rest and recreation center.
Despite the German occupation and the JOC (Young Christian Workers) being placed under surveillance and then banned from 3 August, 1943, the organisation continued to train its members through action.
In April 1943, he received a conscription order for the Compulsory Work Service (STO) to make himself available to the Todt Organization. He was assigned to the Nice-Havrais site and then to the Eawy Forest for the construction of a V1 launch site. On 7 July, 1943, he was arrested and sent by train from Le Havre to Cologne, Germany, along with several hundred other young people, transported in freight cars.
After a three-day journey, he was housed in one of three camps inhabited by more than 2,000 civilians and assigned to the Todt Organization.
Very quickly, he joined the Catholic teams that were organizing clandestinely with members of the Young Christian Workers (JOC), religious orders, seminarians, and requisitioned priests.
On 28 January, 1944, he was granted leave. Back in Le Havre, despite pressure from his fiancée, his relatives, and Father Varignon. He refused to be a draft dodger, believing that his place as a "witness of Christ" was among the young workers. Returning to Cologne, the Young Christian Workers (JOC) group expanded its mutual aid services and solidarity activities among all the forced laborers (STO). The network made contact with German Catholics.
In March 1944, priests were arrested and imprisoned. On 13 July, 1944, he was interrogated by the Gestapo. There were 64 others in this situation, from all over Germany. On 16 September, 1944, he was taken to the Buchenwald concentration camp (Germany).
Weakened and ill, he died on 11 October 1944.
He was beatified on 13 December 2025.
Country of origin
Birth date
July 20, 1920
Birth place
Gonneville-la-Mallet
Death date
October 11, 1944
Death place
Buchenwald
Movement
French JOC
Affiliation
French JOC
Idioma
English
