Joseph Tanguy was born in Morlaix on July 8, 1882, and became the rector of Pont-Aven in 1926. Francis Tanguy was born in the same town on April 30, 1896, and became the vicar of Pont-Aven in 1937.
Although both these clergymen men share the same surname, were born in the same town called Morlaix and worked together as a vicar and a rector at the Church of Pont-Aven, they were not related.
Resistance
During the German invasion of France at the start of World War Two in May and June 1940, many refugees arrived in Pont-Aven and were taken into the care of both men. During the occupation, Joseph and Francis opposed the Germans by helping citizens escape compulsory labor service (STO) and even defying them by condemning the invaders in the Sunday sermons.
Arrest
When the Germans discovered the Abbots sheltered two American airmen, who were downed in an air battle over the town of Bannalec and landed in the village of Logan at Le Trévoux on December 31, 1943, they are both arrested by the Gestapo on Januari 3rd 1944. The Abbots are taken to the Saint-Charles prison in Quimper and questioned about their participation in the French Resistance network. They are held here until the end of March 1944 when finally in April they are deported to Auschwitz.
Death
Ending up in the Buchenwald concentration camp, Joseph succumbed to mistreatment, illness and exhaustion in May 1944. Francis is moved to KZ Flossenbürg in June and dies of exhaustion and starvation in September 1944.
Eglise Saint-Joseph
Both men are honored at the église Saint-Joseph (St Joseph’s Church) of Pont-Aven. Placed on a column inside the church is a case displaying two War Crosses (Croix de Guerre) and a Legion of Honor (Ordre National de Légion d’Honneur) they received posthumously for their acts. A church window bares the names and the dates of both men.
The text in the bottom of the case underneath their names reads:
“We fear nothing; we are ready for anything.
The vicar and I have offered our lives for the salvation of France and your parishioners.
April 1941.”
A monument in memory of Francis and Joseph, known as the “Abbés Tanguy” is located in the Pont-Aven cemetery.
Visit
You can visit the church and the cemetery in Pont-Aven freely during the daytime.
