Andree's War

Andree Griotteray was only 19 when the Germans invaded France. She was just another young teenager, in search of fun and frivolity. Instead she found herself living in an occupied city, forced to work alongside the men who had invaded her country. Unable to stand by and do nothing, her younger brother Alain first set up an underground newspaper, urging readers to join the resistance, before creating his own resistance network. Andree risked her life to help him in both endeavours. Through her job at the passport department of the Police Headquarters in Paris, she typed up and printed copies of La France, and stole blank ID cards to be distributed to anyone attempting to escape France. She travelled across France, picking up and dropping off intelligence ultimately destined for the British and Americans, always fearless in the face of immense pressure. And then one day, she was betrayed and arrested. For the first time Andree's story is told in English, by her own daughter. Based on her diaries and conversations over the years, Francelle brings her mother's story to life. Despite her lifelong modesty, Andree has been lauded by the French government for her bravery. Now her achievements will reach a new audience.