Born in 1905 in Kalisz, Poland, he was a member of the extensive Dutch-Paris resistance network that had lines running through the Low Countries through Paris to Lyon-Haute Savoie, Switzerland, Toulouse and Pyrenees.
He was a Director of a Franco-American Company based in Paris and was allied to the Dutch-Paris resistance movement. Between 1940 and 1941 he operated fishing boats in the Gulf of Lion using Sète as an embarkation point (See also https://polandinexile.com/article/poles-feluccas-gibralter-soe/) heading for Oran in Algeria. In November 1942 he had already been active for as a resistance worker for two years (TNA-T421-15-KMC) and decided to leave France for Britain, however his contacts in Liege were no longer available and decided to remain in France to assist evaders. André was in contact with official Polish intelligence networks run by Maj. Wincenty Zarembski (Tudor) who ran Interallié and Maj. Mieczysław Słowikowski (Rygor) who later ran Agence Afryka covering Vichy France and North Africa to assist in the movement of escaping Polish troops (See https://polandinexile.com/article/poles-feluccas-gibralter-soe/).
He set up a line that covers evaders, Dutch, French and Polish refugees wanting to escape via Spain. The line known as the Visigoth Lorraine (later Bénédictine Line) was not affiliated to the Polish Government in Exile or its intelligence services. In June 1940 he had been in Toulouse and offered his services to the Polish Consulate that at the time was over-burdened with Polish troops fleeing the Vichy Zone which included the remnants of Gen. Maczek’s Battalion.
The first group of escapees crossed into Spain from the picturesque St. Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Basque area. Later in the war, the line was located around the Bourgogne area.
The line worked well and efficiently with connections to the Free French Forces (BCRA). He was arrested in March 1943 with Jean Brunet (TNA-T421-15-KMC). They were to be sent to Mathausen. They escaped from the train. It appears he was injured during the escape and after a recovery period, set up a new escape line via Dax or Mont De Marsan to Peyrehorade to the Pyrenees with his guides using a route through Perpignan, Tardets-Sorholus, Osséja on the border through Andorra to the Consulate in Barcelona.
André’s link to the Dutch – Paris is slightly tenuous. He met a Dutchman Van Boetzelaar in Paris who probably had links to the Dutch-Paris line through Jan Strengers. Strengers was a banker in Utrecht but was involved in the Committee in Brussels. André was asked to take Engelandvaarders from Paris down the Visigoth Lorraine and agreed for a fee of Ffr. 12,000 each. On 25th November 1943, André with van Roggen were arrested on a train travelling between Toulouse and Tarbes while guiding a group of 8 Dutch escapees, some Frenchmen and English. He was imprisoned and tortured in several prisons based in Biarritz, Mont de Marsan, Bordeaux and Compiegne. Starink stayed connected to Vissigoths-Lorraine line and on Andrée’s arrest broke into his apartment to remove any incriminating evidence. His belongings were given to Mme. Vassias (Eva Georgette de Graaff)who took over the leadership of the Vissigoths-Lorraine line. She died in April 1945 in Ravensbrück.
André was deported to Buchenwald and survived and was released from Dora-Mittlebau on 11th May 1945.
He was awarded the Kings Medal for Courage. Little is known of his post war life but is recognised by the Dutch-Paris committee for his exploits.
Please note: Some websites indicate André died in Ravensbrück concentration camp, 11th February 1945. This is not correct.
Acknowledgements: I deeply appreciate the additional information and support from Megan Koreman Piskie. Without her help, it would have been more difficult to develop this article.
If anyone has further information about this unsung hero and willing to share it, please get in contact.
Selected References
Koreman, M. (2018) “The Escape Line: How the Ordinary Heroes of Dutch-Paris Resisted the Nazi Occupation of Western Europe”, OUP, UK.
Medrala, J (1973) “Dictionnaire historique des réseaux de la France combattante”, SHD, France.
Selected Films:
“Army of Shadows”, (1969) Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville with Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse and Jean-Pierre Cassel.
“The Sorrow and the Pity”, (1969) Directed by Marcel Ophüls with Helmut Tausand, Marcel Verdier and Alex Grave.
Websites:
https://www.dutch-paris.com/dutch-paris-members
https://frenchhelpers.fr/index.php – This site has detailed maps and list of helpers for escape and evasion. The site is still under construction through developing resources.
