Isabelle Allard Interview

Retired Nurse and Military Veteran Isabelle Allard-Monet at the time of the interview.

E: Good evening Madame Isabelle. How are you doing?

I: Hello Eric. I am doing quite well, never better!

E: Glad to hear! Jumping right in, what can you tell us about your early life and family?

I: Most Certainly. I was born in the small town of Vimy on May 9th, 1920 to my mother Alexandra, and father Robert. My mother was supposed to give birth to twins, but my brother who would have been named Louis was stillborn. When I was very young, my father passed away from liver cirrhosis due to using alcohol to cope with the horrors of the Great War. Despite this, my mother and I managed to navigate the waters of life together, teaching me all the vital necessities needed to survive in life, until she was cruelly taken from the world by a German butcher named Stefan Klein, which led to me being homeless up until the breakout of the Second World War and fleeing France upon Nazi occupation.

E: I have heard tales of how you tracked him down throughout war-torn Europe. What were your battles with him like?

I: (grimaces) Not for the faint of heart. The first one from what I remember in Stalingrad (now Volgograd) was a bloody encounter from which I lost my ring finger and was left in a pool of my own blood with a horrible concussion. It was so bad I didn’t even remember why I went to Stalingrad in the first place. After a year of waiting, I had a second crack at him, and this time I was successful, killing him a day before Paris was liberated. He certainly pushed me to my limits in combat, and there were instances where I thought I was going to die at his hand. However, I couldn’t have done it all without my good friend Vivian.

E: What can you tell me about Vivian?

I: Oh Vivian. Vivian is a brilliant woman. I have known her for seventy-five years and she has not changed a bit in those years. She is very stubborn and vindictive and most certainly kept and put me in my place more than once over the years. Plus I admired her for her dedication. Even after pulling ten-hour days at the office, she would always find time for everyone and anyone. Despite what she had to go through throughout her life, she never lost that will to be dedicated, and I believe it’s a trait that everyone should have. It’s safe to say I’m glad her parents and my mother were friends.

E: She’s been at your side for many events in your life, especially during your infamous protest in 1964.

Isabelle Allard-Monet during the infamous Women's Rights Protest of 1964

I: (smiles) That she was!

E: What can you tell me about that day?

I: I remember standing in front of the Cafe Theatre, rallying with a crowd of several hundred women. Irina, Diane, Vivian and I led them down to the Hotel de Ville, where we unfurled a banner with a slogan on it, what it was I can’t remember, but shortly afterwards Vivian unbuttoned our shirts and revealed our breasts with slogans painted on our chests right in front of the president. That eventually got the attention of the police, who intentionally bumped into Vivian and me, resulting in us getting forcibly arrested and thrown to the ground, which resulted in me getting a dislocated shoulder, all for baring my breasts in public. I also remember the booking that same day, while it was occurring, the booking officers decided to have fun with me, grabbing and squeezing my breasts while I was still cuffed and defenceless. After serving my 8 month sentence at my cabin outside of Aix-les-Bains, I took them to court with Vivian as my lawyer.

E: You won your case, right?

I: That I did. The policemen lost their jobs as a result of Vivian’s prowess in the courtroom. She likes to call it her masterpiece, and I do agree with her on that, as I witnessed it first hand.

E: Changing topics now. You served in the French Military, correct?

I: Indeed I did. From 1947 to 1954.

Military portrait of Isabelle Allard, 1951.

E: Can you tell me a bit about your time in the military and where you served?

I: Most certainly. I served as a combat medic during battles in French Indochina and the 1949 Malagasy Uprising in Madagascar. The latter was where I saw my first action in combat, being wounded by a bayonet in my upper right abdomen and left thigh. During my recovery there, I witnessed horrible atrocities, such as women being thrown from helicopters, war rape, and needless executions. My fiancé at the time and I were sent out to serve in Korea, but my time there was short-lived, as I was wounded and given an honorable discharge. I would spend my later time in the reserves before my retirement upon the foundation of the Women’s Liberation Front in 1954, and to be there for my family that we had started.

E: What can you tell me about the WLF?

I: The WLF was formed when five like-minded individuals got together to fight against what our enemies supported and support what they opposed. We fought for women’s rights, fought alongside anti-fascist movements, and supported those who needed food and water in Africa and in the Amazon. We even went on diplomatic visits to Cuba, Canada, China, and the United States to spread awareness to our cause until my retirement in 1986 and our group’s dissolution last year. It was a group that most definitely served its purpose over the course of its existence.

E: You and your group are a very inspiring bunch of individuals in many different ways. You were also a musician as well, and released two albums, correct?

I: That is correct! While I was serving my sentence in 1964, I wrote several songs about my personal life and my time away from the public. The two albums of acoustic folk songs are called Isolation and Reputation. They were both released in 1965 and I am very proud of them.

Isabelle and her children, Alexandre and Margaux, 1961.

E: What does the future have in store for Isabelle Allard-Monet?

I: My goal for the rest of my time on this planet is to live my life as peacefully as possible with Edouard, enjoying our morning coffees on the deck of our acerage, away from the public eye, and reading classic books, all while still maintaining close contact with those close to me. After the life I’ve led, I’d say it’s a fair way to live out the rest of my days.

E: A pleasure talking to you, Madame Isabelle.

I: Same to you, Eric.

Trivia

• This interview would take place in 2001 and would be the last public interview Isabelle gave before her death in 2013.
• Artworks on this page are done by Timaeus (@timayonnaise) on Instagram.