René Hardy

René Hardy (31 October 1911 - 12 April 1987) was a member of the French Resistance during World War II. Having rendered dedicated and valuable service as a member of the resistance group Combat, he was nevertheless suspected of being instrumental in the arrest of Jean Moulin and other resitants. Despite later being acquitted in two separate trials, those suspicions have never gone away.

Alleged treason

When, in 1943, Gestapo officers under the orders of Klaus Barbie stormed the house in Caluire where the French Resistance leadership was secretly meeting, only Hardy was allegedly not put in handcuffs. As the seven other men were led away, Hardy successfully made a break for it. The incident seemed suspicious to Raymond Aubrac, who, based on the ease with which the Nazis had let him go, always remained convinced that Hardy had alerted the Gestapo of their meeting. "From all the Germans with their submachine guns, there were only a couple of scattered shots," Aubrac later stated.^[1]

After the war, he was tried twice for collaboration for a number of reasons but was found not guilty, despite committing perjury at the first trial.^[2] Shortly before his death, he was accused again by Barbie himself, but died before any new charges could be brought.^[3]

Personal life

Hardy was born in Mortrée, Orne. He was a novelist, having written the book Bitter Victory (French title Amère victoire) which was adapted for the cinema in a Franco-US co-production starring Richard Burton. It is one of director Nicholas Ray's finest films.

References

1. Raymond Aubrac
2. Rene Hardy Accused of Giving Aid. New York Times. Accessed March 14, 2012.
3. Analysis of the Barbie File. U.S. National Archives. Accessed March 14, 2012.