14 Facts About Denise Vernay

Denise Vernay-Jacob was a member of the French Resistance during World War II, who operated under the aliases of "Miarka" and "Annie" from 1941.

Denise Vernay narrowly avoided the March 1944 roundup of Jews in Nice, France which resulted in the deportation of her parents to Auschwitz concentration camp in occupied Poland.

Denise Vernay was rescued by the Red Cross in April 1945 and returned home to France at the conclusion of the war.

Denise Vernay's younger brother, Jean, and sister, Simone Annie Liline, were born in 1925 and on 13 July 1927, respectively.

Sixteen-year-old Denise Vernay became a mathematics tutor to help support her family.

In 1941, Denise Vernay Jacob performed her first acts of resistance, distributing anti-fascist educational materials and listening to BBC Radio for news of the war, an activity which had been outlawed by the Vichy Government.

Denise Vernay learned of their fate from a letter retrieved from the Lyon post office.

Denise Vernay then proceeded to immerse herself in the French Resistance as a member of Franc-tireur.

Denise Vernay Jacob arrived back in Annecy just as the war was ending.

Denise Vernay was greeted by fellow Resistance member Adrien Galliot, who introduced her to Jean Massendes, France's new Secretary General.

On 23 August 1946, Denise Vernay Jacob testified about her experiences.

Denise Vernay died at the age of 88 in Paris, France, on 4 March 2013.

Just over two years later, her husband, Alain Denise Vernay, died at home at the age of 97 on 12 August 2015 and was buried at the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris.

Denise Vernay-Jacob was accorded multiple awards for valor, post-war, in recognition of her service with the French Resistance during World War II.