Name : ....................................
Classroom : ............................
The North of France in the hands of the Germans
Secondary School Level
Worksheet realised by Laurent Seillier, teacher
advisor to the educational department of La Coupole
Worksheet 1: La Coupole, Launching site for V2 rockets
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Once you have put on your audio guide, complete this worksheet using the signs to
help you.
1.
Building of the site
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When did the building work begin?____________________________________
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End of building site and evacuation of the site in:
_________________________________________________________________
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Time needed to complete all of the structures:____________________________
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Why did the Germans choose this site?__________________________________
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What type of work force was used and what were their conditions
like?_____________________________________________________________
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How many bombs did the Allies drop on La
Coupole?_________________________________________________________
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What were the consequences of these bombings on neighbouring
areas?____________________________________________________________
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Why did the British Army destroy part of the site in September
1944?____________________________________________________________
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Now move towards the lifts. You will arrive at a mezzanine. Look at the dome
above. It is 5.5 metres thick. Move towards the rocket on your right. Using the
signs and the commentary, answer the questions.
2. Secret weapons:
Stand in front of the V2 rocket.
Characteristics of the A4/V2 rocket:
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Number of pieces:
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Height:
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Total weight:
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Weight of the explosives:
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Maximum speed:
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Range:
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Why is it an indestructible weapon and one of terrorism?
Now stand in front of the model.
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3. The working of La Coupole:
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Why did the Germans build this site?_____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Which concentration camp do the rockets come from?________________________
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How many rockets did the Germans think they could fire each day?_____________
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How long would the rockets have needed to reach London?____________________
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How many rockets were actually fired from La Coupole?_____________________
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Complete the diagram below with the following words: protective dome, firing
platform, firing preparation room, rocket storage, railway.
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Before leaving the History centre go and visit the Dora section at the end of the Rex
section.
- Before leaving the History centre go and visit the Dora section at the end of the Rex
section
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Worksheet 2: Northern France in German hands (slide show)
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Go into the Cineac (cinema to the left of the exit/staircase) then complete the
questionnaire after the slide show.
1.
On what date did the Second World War begin in Europe?
a) 1st September 1939
b) 10th May 1940
2. The period during which French soldiers remained inactive is called:
a) the Phoney War
b) the Exodus
3. During their attack, the Germans used a lot of:
a) Infantry and Artillery
b) Tanks and aeroplanes
4. Thousands of Belgian and French civilians fled from the advancing Germans, this
was:
a) the Blitz
b) the Exodus
5. In Dunkirk the British managed to evacuate all of the soldiers during Operation
Dynamo:
a) True
b) False
6. On 22nd June Pétain signed:
a) an Armistice
b) a Surrender
7. The French are defeated:
a) because they lacked courage
b) because of mistakes by the High Command
8. During the Occupation the Nord-Pas-de-Calais was attached to Belgium:
a) True
b) False
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9. The Nord-Pas-de-Calais is the French region with the strongest presence of German
military:
a) True
b) False
10. During the war food was rationed:
a) True
b) False
11. However, anyone with a big income could get more food:
a) True
b) False
12. The big mine strike of Spring 1941 was the only French strike during the occupation:
a) True
b) False
13. The “Voix du Nord” is a:
a) informative newspaper
b) Resistance newspaper
14. From 1943 young men had to leave to work in Germany:
a) True
b) False
15. The French state helped the Nazis persecute Jews:
a) True
b) False
16. What is the attitude of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais towards occupation?
a) support
b) disregard
c) indifference
17. Which person portrayed hope in the eyes of the population?
a) Pétain
b) De Gaulle
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18. Which region was bombed the most before the landings?
a) Normandy
b) The Pas-de-Calais
c) The Paris region
19. When was the Nord (northern region of France) liberated?
a) in June
b) in July
c) in September
20. Which was the last French town to be liberated?
a) Strasbourg
b) Dunkirk
c) Lille
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Worksheet 3 : Invasion, a battle of obliteration
(area C1)
At the exit of the cinema continue your work by watching the videos entitled “Invasion
1940” and “Dunkirk 1940.” Then using this information and various displays, answer the
questions:
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Using the map on the table, explain the strategy of the German High Command.
Refer to four steps:
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What reasons explain the German successes? (sign: a Battle of obliteration)
Looking at the photographs in this area, note the main points of the battles of May - June
1940.
What is the situation for civilians?
What impressions do you get from these images?
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Why can we talk about the “Battle of obliteration?
In what way did the Nazi armies not respect the rules of war? (sign: War crimes)
Explain what Operation Dynamo was (sign and film “Dunkirk 1940”)
In what way was this operation used by:
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the Nazis
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Pétain and the French state?
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the United Kingdom?
What are the consequences of signing the armistice on 22 June 1940 for hundreds of
thousands of men? (sign – mass of prisoners)
In what situation did the Nord-Pas-de-Calais find itself at the start of the summer of 1940?
(sign “the coma of the summer of 1940”)
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Worksheet 4: Occupation (area C2)
Move towards area C2. Using the signage and videos answer the following questions.
The Division of France (film: les Jours Gris)
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To which country was the Nord-Pas-de-Calais attached? What did the inhabitants of
northern France fear?
There was a particularly high number of German soldiers in these two areas due to the close
proximity with the United Kingdom (only country which pursued war with the Nazis in
western Europe).
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Looking at the photographic displays, show how daily life of the inhabitants was
affected by the presence of the occupiers.
Hardships:
Rationing:
- Move towards the window of the “general store”
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What is the document shown opposite about?
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What does the document ask the French to do?
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Pick out some phrases that show this idea.
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Why is bread limited?
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What do we call the card being pointed at by the arrow on this document?
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What are other rationed products?
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The Black Market: (film: les Jours Gris)
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What is the child on the poster doing?
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What is the hand doing?
During the occupation, farmers were obliged to provide their produce at prices imposed by
the authorities. These prices did not generally pay well. Also, some preferred to sell their
crops and cattle at a higher price to traffickers, who then sold them on in cities. This
underground trafficking is called Black Market.
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Why is it depicted in the form of a skeleton on this poster?
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What difference do you notice with the Grey Market?
The price of the Black Market: (window of the general store)
What is the price of butter officially? And the Black Market price?
What is the hourly pay of a spinner? How many hours does he have to work to buy a kilo of
butter?
What do you notice about the different categories within the population having access to the
Black Market?
A constant fear:
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Match the uniforms displayed in the window with the words below:
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Fear of the occupant:
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Fear of bombings:
Social and family life:
Whilst watching the video on the Grey Days, you heard a song “j’attendrai toujours ton
retour” (“I will always wait for your return”):
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Who is waiting for who?
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What other daily life difficulty of the occupation period is referred to?
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What were the leisure activities of the population of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais during
the Occupation?
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Worksheet 5 : Collaboration/Persecution/Resistance
Repression (area C3)
Move towards area C3 and answer the questions with the help of the signs.
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What are the first spontaneous types of Resistance?
Active Resistance:
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Here is a list of a number of forms of Resistance. What do they involve? What are
their aims?
Fight against Nazi misinformation:
Information network:
Network of action:
The Communist fight:
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Show, using objects present, the weakness of the systems used. Where does the help
come from?
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Explain in what way the minors’ strike of 1941 had both social and patriotic
characteristics. (sign: “minors’ strike”)
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The air war: (sign on the table: la guerre aérienne)
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Show that the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region is at the heart of the air war being led in
western Europe.
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What are the targets of the Allied bombings in the region?
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What is the result of these bombings on the population?
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What is the role of the escape networks in this war?
Repression (sign: Une répression massive)
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What were the different forms of repression during the war?
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Stand in front of the poster wall and look for the poster of 26th September 1941
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What happened during the night of 22 – 23 September 1941? And 24 – 25
September?
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Who are suspected? What are they being called?
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What is the reaction of the Germans? How were the victims chosen?
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Stand in front of the “death wall”. Listen and read the last letter written by Félicien
Joly, a young 21-year-old primary school teacher, shot on 15 November 1941.
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Explain this sentence: “we can count on Germany”
Collaboration: (film: propaganda and collaboration)
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What are the different types of collaboration?
Persecutions (sign: persecutions)
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What measures were taken against Jews from 1940 – 1942:
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Show that persecution of Jews was made possible in the North by the collaboration of
the French Administration. Give precise examples.
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What other group within the population was also persecuted?
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Worksheet 6 Liberation (area C4)
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The massacre of Ascq and “the Loos train” are two tragic events of 1944, which have
made a mark in history on the region. Explain why.
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Using the photographs, show the different sides of the liberation:
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Look at the Tension Avant car:
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What do you notice on the roof? Why was this display made?
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What has been painted on the doors? What does this acronym mean?
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On 9th May 1945, the region of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais is finally liberated. Why do
we talk about bitter victory?
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