Antoinette Gérard (1909–1958), known as the Duchesse d'Harcourt through her marriage, was a French writer and

resistance fighter A resistance movement is an organized group of people that tries to resist or try to overthrow a government or an occupying power, causing disruption and unrest in civil order and stability. Such a movement may seek to achieve its goals through ei ...

, best known for her affair with actress and singer

Arletty Léonie Marie Julie Bathiat (15 May 1898 – 23 July 1992), known professionally as Arletty, was a French actress, singer, and fashion model. As an actress she is particularly known for classics directed by Marcel Carné, including '' Hotel du ...

Biography

Antoinette Gérard was the daughter of Baron François Gérard (1880–1929),

deputy Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spain, ...

for

Calvados Calvados (, , ) is a brandy from Normandy in France, made from apples and/or pears. History In France Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. The first known record of Norman distillation was ma ...

from 1919 to 1928, and Catherine d'Aliney d'Elva (1888-1977). In 1937, she published a collection of poems entitled ''Neiges'' ("Snows"), some of which were set to music by Henri Sauguet. During the German occupation of France, she joined the French Resistance. Arrested by the Germans, she was imprisoned in Fresnes for a year. She married François-Charles d'Harcourt on December 17, 1927, with whom she had two children, including the politician

François d'Harcourt François d'Harcourt (10 December 1928 – 5 November 2020), 12th Duke of Harcourt, was a French politician. Biography He was the son of François-Charles d'Harcourt, 11th Duke of Harcourt, and Antoinette Gérard, a French resistant. From 1954 ...

. As a

lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...

, she had an affair with the French actress

. She died in 1958.

References

1909 births 1958 deaths 20th-century French women writers 20th-century French LGBTQ people Resistance against Nazi Germany {{France-poet-stub