7032 - Jean Moulin Autograph Letter Signed - Written From Megève Weeks After His Secret Return to France (1942)

Jean Moulin Autograph Letter Signed - Written From Megève Weeks After His Secret Return to France (1942) French civil servant and resistant (1899-1943) who succeeded in unifying the main networks of the French Resistance, a unique act in Europe. He served as the first President of the National Council of the Resistance during World War II from May 27, 1943, until his death less than two months later. Rare World War II-dated ALS in French, signed “Jean,” penned on a glossy 5.5 x 3.5 postcard of Mont Blanc, February 10 [1942]. Addressed from Megève, a handwritten letter to his mother and his sister, Laure, in part (translated): “Contrary to what I thought, I found nice sunshine, which made my stay much better. A lot of snow. We made excellent runs. The lifts are working and there are a lot of people. I am returning at the end of the week to Saint-Auriol.” In fine condition. Jean Moulin wrote this card a little over a month after returning to France as Charles de Gaulle’s secret envoy. Dismissed by Vichy as prefect of Eure-et-Loir in November 1940, he was parachuted into Provence on January 2, 1942, charged with uniting the resistance movements of the southern zone under Free French leadership. Shortly before writing this card, he had met Colette Pons at Megève; a year later, in February 1943, she would open the Galerie Romanin in Nice, the art gallery that served as his cover. His sister, one of the card’s two recipients, was drawn into his clandestine work as well. In January 1942, Laure Moulin traveled to Toulon to help locate his missing radio operator, Hervé Monjaret, and obtained information on his whereabouts. Moulin went on to bring together resistance movements, political parties, and trade unions in the National Council of the Resistance, chairing its first meeting on May 27, 1943. He was arrested by the Gestapo at Caluire, near Lyon, on June 21, 1943, and died in German custody the following month.