The Mother Who Hid Resistance Fighters in Her Bread Ovens

In the village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, a Protestant community in the mountains of southern France, the entire village conspired to hide Jewish refugees and resistance fighters. Led by Pastor Andre Trocme and his wife Magda, the villagers created a sanctuary network that saved between 3,000-5,000 people. Magda Trocme hid resistance fighters in her bread ovens and cellar, and when French police came searching, she served them tea and lied to their faces. The villagers forged documents, hid people in forests, and established escape routes to Switzerland. The entire village was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem — one of the only collective honors ever given.