Lépicier, Jean
Item
Name
Lépicier, Jean
Given name
Jean
Family name
Lépicier
One-line bio
Jean Lépicier was a JOC leader from Angers, who was called up for STO (forced labour service) in Germany in 1943. Arrested for his jocist activities in March 1944, he died at the Buchenwald concentration camp on 3 March 1945.
Biography
Born on 23 April, 1921 in Feneu (Maine-et-Loire), Jean Lépicier became a pastry worker in Angers in 1936. In 1938, he joined the French JOC.
On 23 March, 1943, he was called up under the STO (Compulsory Work Order) provisions of the Nazi occupiers. Fearing reprisals for his family if he refused, he departed for Germany, where he assigned to a Fedor-Schoen cardboard factory, then to a machine tool factor, the Schutte factory, in Köln-Pors.
There he became involved in jocist activities including organising liturgies, mutual aid services, study circles and study days, facilitating clandestine meetings and religious ceremonies.
Under a Nazi decree enacted on 3 December 1943 prohibiting Catholic action activities among French workers in Nazi Germany, he was arrested on 13 July 1944 along with twelve Franciscans and Bernard Morizot, another jocist leader. He was imprisoned in Brauweiler prison.
On 17-18 September, 1944, he was transferred to the Buchenwald concentration camp, where he was given the number 81780. He completed his quarantine period at the Small Camp, then joined Block 19 of the Large Camp.
On 13 November, he was transferred to the Langenstein Kommando responsible for drilling tunnels for the installation of an underground factory for the Junkers firm. He successively joined Blocks 11 and 10.
Falling ill, he was admitted to the camp infirmary and he died of exhaustion on 20 March, 1945.
On 23 March, 1943, he was called up under the STO (Compulsory Work Order) provisions of the Nazi occupiers. Fearing reprisals for his family if he refused, he departed for Germany, where he assigned to a Fedor-Schoen cardboard factory, then to a machine tool factor, the Schutte factory, in Köln-Pors.
There he became involved in jocist activities including organising liturgies, mutual aid services, study circles and study days, facilitating clandestine meetings and religious ceremonies.
Under a Nazi decree enacted on 3 December 1943 prohibiting Catholic action activities among French workers in Nazi Germany, he was arrested on 13 July 1944 along with twelve Franciscans and Bernard Morizot, another jocist leader. He was imprisoned in Brauweiler prison.
On 17-18 September, 1944, he was transferred to the Buchenwald concentration camp, where he was given the number 81780. He completed his quarantine period at the Small Camp, then joined Block 19 of the Large Camp.
On 13 November, he was transferred to the Langenstein Kommando responsible for drilling tunnels for the installation of an underground factory for the Junkers firm. He successively joined Blocks 11 and 10.
Falling ill, he was admitted to the camp infirmary and he died of exhaustion on 20 March, 1945.
Country of origin
English
France
Birth date
April 23, 1921
Birth place
Feneu, Maine et Loire, France
Death date
March 20, 1945
Death place
Buchenwald concentration camp
Movement
JOC France