Belgian resistance heroine Andrée de Jongh dies at 90
{{date|October 15, 2007}}
{{Belgium}}
Countess [[w:Andrée de Jongh|Andrée de Jongh]], who as a young nurse founded the Comet Line, an escape route for [[w:Allies of World War II|Allied]] airmen during [[w:World War II|World War II]], died Saturday in [[w:Brussels|Brussels]] at the age of 90. The Comet Line went from Brussels to the [[w:Pyrenees|Pyrenees]] through [[France]] to the [[United Kingdom|British]] consulate in [[w:Madrid|Madrid]] and on to [[w:Gibraltar|Gibraltar]]. Andrée de Jongh and her father Frédéric De Jongh organised the escape line, which helped more than 700 airmen to escape Nazi-occupied [[w:Belgium|Belgium]]. Andrée herself accompanied 118 of them before she was arrested by the [[w:Gestapo|Gestapo]].

The Gestapo captured Frédéric de Jongh in June 1943 and later executed him. Many other members of the Comet Line were also captured and 23 in all were executed. Andrée was captured in January 1944. Unwilling to believe she could have organised the network herself, the Gestapo let her live. She was sent first to [[w:Fresnes prison|Fresnes prison]] in Paris and eventually to [[w:Ravensbrück concentration camp|Ravensbrück concentration camp]] and [[w:Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp|Mauthausen concentration camp]]. She was liberated by the advancing Allied troops in April 1945. "We accepted that we could be arrested. It was our job," she said later. "We didn't say 'if we get arrested,' we said 'when we get arrested.'" The Comet Line inspired the [[w:BBC|BBC]] drama series [[w:Secret Army (TV series)|Secret Army]].

Andrée de Jongh was awarded the [[w:United States|United States]] [[w:Presidential Medal of Freedom|Medal of Freedom]] and the [[w:George Medal|George Medal]] by the late King [[w:George VI of the United Kingdom|George VI of the United Kingdom]]. She was also granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the [[w:Belgian Army|Belgian Army]]. Later, she was granted the title of countess by the late King [[w:Baudouin I of Belgium|Baudouin of Belgium]] in [[w:1985|1985]].

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== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2657876.ece
|title=Andree de Jongh obituary
|pub=The Times
|date=October 15, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/world/5212877.html
|title=Countess who helped WWII pilots escape Nazis dies
|pub=Houston Chronicle
|date=October 15, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/obituaries/20071015_Andree_De_Jongh___Resistance_heroine__90.html
|title=Andree De Jongh obituary - Resistance heroine, 90
|pub=The Philadelphia Inquirer
|date=October 15, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/cm/flandersnews.be/News/071014_andree_de_jongh
|title=Resistance heroine dies
|pub=Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep
|date=October 14, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/14/europe/EU-GEN-Belgium-Obit-De-Jongh.php
|title=Andree De Jongh, who set up escape route for British pilots during WWII, dead at 90
|pub=International Herald Tribune
|date=October 14, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21293320/
|title=Andree De Jongh, who set up escape route for British pilots during WWII, dead at 90
|pub=MSNBC
|date=October 14, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/nieuws/belgie/617120
|title=Verzetsstrijdster Andrée De Jongh overleden
|pub=De Morgen
|date=October 13, 2007
|lang=Dutch}}
*{{source|url=http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=B19688609071013
|title=Belgische verzetsstrijdster Andrée De Jongh overleden
|pub=De Standaard
|date=October 13, 2007
|lang=Dutch}}

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[[Category:Belgium]]
[[Category:Obituaries]]
[[Category:Brussels]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:World War II]]
Countess Andrée de Jongh, who as a young nurse founded the Comet Line, an escape route for Allied airmen during World War II, died Saturday in Brussels at the age of 90. The Comet Line went from Brussels to the Pyrenees through France to the British consulate in Madrid and on to Gibraltar. Andrée de Jongh and her father Frédéric De Jongh organised the escape line, which helped more than 700 airmen to escape Nazi-occupied Belgium. Andrée herself accompanied 118 of them before she was arrested by the Gestapo.

The Gestapo captured Frédéric de Jongh in June 1943 and later executed him. Many other members of the Comet Line were also captured and 23 in all were executed. Andrée was captured in January 1944. Unwilling to believe she could have organised the network herself, the Gestapo let her live. She was sent first to Fresnes prison in Paris and eventually to Ravensbrück concentration camp and Mauthausen concentration camp. She was liberated by the advancing Allied troops in April 1945. "We accepted that we could be arrested. It was our job," she said later. "We didn't say 'if we get arrested,' we said 'when we get arrested.'" The Comet Line inspired the BBC drama series Secret Army.

Andrée de Jongh was awarded the United States Medal of Freedom and the George Medal by the late King George VI of the United Kingdom. She was also granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Belgian Army. Later, she was granted the title of countess by the late King Baudouin of Belgium in 1985.
Belgium Obituaries Brussels Europe Politics and conflicts World War II