The Euro-Class at Lycée Kléber in Strasbourg, guided by their teacher Michèle Hoenen, is delving into the theme of resistance. Workshop leader Sandra Butsch is impressed by the school’s campus, which serves around 2,100 students. The Euro-Class students, who speak excellent German, are eager to conduct the workshop in German. Their dedication and enthusiasm are remarkable.
The students have been studying Alphonse Adam, a literature student at the University of Strasbourg. In June 1941, Adam, along with fellow student Robert Kieffer, founded the resistance group “Front de la jeunesse alsacienne”. Originating from the Alsatian Catholic youth movement, this clandestine organisation carried out acts of sabotage, wrote and distributed anti-Nazi pamphlets, and assisted prisoners of war in escaping across the Vosges Mountains to the occupied zone of France. Following the decree of 25 August 1942, which mandated the forced conscription of Alsatians and Mosellans into the German army, the group called for military service refusal.
In January 1943, Alphonse Adam was arrested during an attempt to flee to Switzerland. Along with five other members of the resistance group, he was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof, the Nazi regime’s special court for political crimes, which had been relocated to Strasbourg. The sham trial was presided over by Roland Freisler, the infamous Berlin judge who would later sentence Julius Leber to death in October 1944. On 15 July 1943, a day after Bastille Day, the six young men were executed at Fort Desaix (near Port du Rhin, close to Kehl). Alphonse Adam was the only one who refused to have his eyes covered, facing death “with open eyes.”
Since November 2024, a commemorative plaque on the facade of their former school, the Collège Épiscopal Saint-Étienne, honours Alphonse Adam and Robert Kieffer. The school is within walking distance of Lycée Kléber.
The exceptional students of the Euro-Class unanimously agree: “This kind of lesson is much better than memorising dates and facts.” Arthur and Louis note that working on history in another language offers a valuable shift in perspective: it introduces new information, new words, and fresh viewpoints. It is no coincidence that they are part of a Euro-Class. Matthias reflects that he especially appreciates the fact that this approach allows them to form their own perspective on history, rather than relying solely on their teacher’s view. Cerina adds that the process is enjoyable and that drawing helps foster a deeper understanding of the subject, as it requires active engagement and personal reflection.
