Yvonne Abbas
- April 29, 1922
- December 13, 2014
- 92 years
About Yvonne Abbas
Yvonne Abbas, 92, member of the French Resistance.
Explore other notable deaths in 2014 or deaths in December 2014.
The Deaths Archive presents
How well do you know Yvonne Abbas?
Explore their life. Test your knowledge. Beat the challenge.
10 questions · One legacy · How much do you really know?
Challenge your friends
Play together in real-time.
Advertisement
Full Biography
|Yvonne Abbas (29 April 1922 – 13 December 2014) was a member of the French Resistance during the Second World War. She survived deportation to Ravensbrück concentration camp.
Early life
Abbas was born in Pérenchies, to an Algerian father who died of tuberculosis when she was a child, resulting in her having to go out to work at the age of thirteen. As an employee of Épiceries du Nord, she became a Communist Party activist and was involved in the industrial action of 1938. At the age of seventeen, she married Florent Debels. Both entered the Resistance and joined the FTP (Francs-tireurs et partisans).
Life during the Second World War
Abbas was arrested on her 20th birthday in 1942 (along with Louis Petit and Jean Bracq, both of whom were shot). She was imprisoned in Rennes and, in April 1944, she was sent to Ravensbrück. There she was subjected to torture and forced labour.
She was working in a munitions factory in Holleischen in May 1945, when the camp was liberated. On her return home, she learned that her husband had been shot and killed at Wambrechies, two months after her address; her brother had also been killed in October 1944 in Belfort.
Later years
Abbas was awarded a number of decorations by the French government:
- Officier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur (1992); Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur (2014)
- Médaille militaire
- Combattant volontaire de la Résistance
- Chevalier dans l'ordre des Palmes académiques
She became President of the musée de la Résistance at Denain, and was a member of the Comité national de l’Amicale de Ravensbrück, and President of the Comité de Lille de l’Anacr.
Death
She died on December 13, 2014, in Loos, Nord.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Interactive
Test Your Knowledge – Trivia Challenge
How well do you know this person's life and legacy?
No account needed to play. Sign in to keep your score on the leaderboard.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Yvonne Abbas on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Abbas
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Yvonne Abbas's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what year was Yvonne Abbas arrested by authorities?
- A.1938
- B.1940
- C.1942correct
- D.1944
Yvonne Abbas was arrested in 1942, specifically on her 20th birthday.
Source: Life during the Second World War section
2.Which two individuals were arrested alongside Yvonne Abbas in 1942?
- A.Her unnamed brother and Louis Petit
- B.Florent Debels and Jean Bracq
- C.Louis Petit and Jean Bracqcorrect
- D.Florent Debels and Louis Petit
Yvonne Abbas was arrested along with Louis Petit and Jean Bracq in 1942.
Source: Life during the Second World War section
3.To which concentration camp was Yvonne Abbas sent in April 1944?
- A.Ravensbrückcorrect
- B.Dachau
- C.Buchenwald
- D.Auschwitz
In April 1944, Yvonne Abbas was sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp.
Source: Life during the Second World War section
4.Where was Yvonne Abbas working when the camp was liberated in May 1945?
- A.A grocery store in Pérenchies
- B.A munitions factory in Holleischencorrect
- C.A textile mill in Loos
- D.A labor camp in Belfort
Yvonne Abbas was working in a munitions factory in Holleischen when the camp was liberated.
Source: Life during the Second World War section
5.What fate did Yvonne Abbas discover had befallen her husband, Florent Debels, upon her return home?
- A.He had escaped to Algeria
- B.He had been shot and killed at Wambrechiescorrect
- C.He had been killed in Belfort
- D.He had been imprisoned in Rennes
Upon her return home, Yvonne Abbas learned that her husband had been shot and killed at Wambrechies.
Source: Life during the Second World War section
6.In what month and year was the brother of Yvonne Abbas killed?
- A.May 1945 in Rennes
- B.October 1944 in Belfortcorrect
- C.April 1945 in Wambrechies
- D.December 1944 in Belfort
The brother of Yvonne Abbas was killed in October 1944 in Belfort.
Source: Life during the Second World War section
7.What distinction was conferred upon Yvonne Abbas by the French government in 1992?
- A.Médaille militaire
- B.Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur
- C.Officier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneurcorrect
- D.Chevalier dans l'ordre des Palmes académiques
Yvonne Abbas was named Officier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur in 1992.
Source: Later years section
8.Yvonne Abbas served as the President of which museum?
- A.Musée de la Résistance at Denaincorrect
- B.Musée de la Résistance at Lille
- C.Musée de la Résistance at Wambrechies
- D.Musée de la Résistance at Belfort
Yvonne Abbas became the President of the musée de la Résistance at Denain.
Source: Later years section
9.Yvonne Abbas held a leadership role in which organization?
- A.The Comité de Lille de l’Anacrcorrect
- B.The French Communist Party leadership
- C.The Épiceries du Nord union
- D.The Ravensbrück munitions factory board
Yvonne Abbas served as President of the Comité de Lille de l’Anacr.
Source: Later years section
10.In which French commune did Yvonne Abbas pass away?
- A.Denain
- B.Pérenchies
- C.Rennes
- D.Looscorrect
Yvonne Abbas died on December 13, 2014, in Loos, Nord.
Source: Death section
11.Which decoration was Yvonne Abbas awarded in 2014?
- A.Médaille militaire
- B.Combattant volontaire de la Résistance
- C.Officier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur
- D.Commandeur de la Légion d'honneurcorrect
Yvonne Abbas was awarded the title of Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur in 2014.
Source: Later years section
12.In which French commune was Yvonne Abbas born?
- A.Pérenchiescorrect
- B.Denain
- C.Rennes
- D.Wambrechies
Yvonne Abbas was born in the town of Pérenchies.
Source: Early life section
13.What was the occupation of Yvonne Abbas at the age of thirteen?
- A.Épiceries du Nord employeecorrect
- B.Teacher at a local school
- C.Assistant to the Resistance
- D.Munitions factory worker
After her father died, Yvonne Abbas started working for Épiceries du Nord at age thirteen.
Source: Early life section
14.Yvonne Abbas married which individual at the age of seventeen?
- A.Florent Debelscorrect
- B.Jean Bracq
- C.Louis Petit
- D.A member of the Anacr
At the age of seventeen, Yvonne Abbas married Florent Debels.
Source: Early life section
15.Which political organization did Yvonne Abbas become an activist for while working at Épiceries du Nord?
- A.The National Committee of the Anacr
- B.The French Socialist Party
- C.The French Resistance Front
- D.The Communist Partycorrect
While working at Épiceries du Nord, Yvonne Abbas became an activist for the Communist Party.
Source: Early life section
16.Yvonne Abbas joined which specific Resistance group during the Second World War?
- A.The Lille Resistance Network
- B.The FTPcorrect
- C.The Free French Forces
- D.The Ravensbrück Committee
Yvonne Abbas and her husband both joined the FTP (Francs-tireurs et partisans).
Source: Early life section
Explore the archive
People who died on December 13
Spotted an error?
Help us keep the archive accurate. Report a correction with a source.
Report an error for Yvonne Abbas →Advertisement
