Joseph Gastaldo dit Galibier

Joseph Gastaldo, known as Galibier or Garin, was a French Resistance leader born in 1899 in Moûtiers, Savoie, and died in 1955 in Besançon. His activities during World War II made him a significant figure in the French underground movement.

Early military service

Gastaldo served as a cavalryman and was at the front in 1918, ending the war with a citation for his service. This early experience set the stage for his later roles in intelligence and resistance.

Career in intelligence

From 1927 to 1931, Gastaldo was stationed in Syria, where he discovered his vocation in intelligence work. This period influenced his later roles in the French Resistance.

Meeting key allies

At the war school, Gastaldo met Henri Frenay, a fellow future Resistance leader. His fluency in German and Czech later helped him in intelligence roles, including a posting in Prague in 1938.

Resistance activities

In 1940, Gastaldo commanded a Czech unit and managed to get it to Great Britain. He then joined the Free Zone and organized an escape route in Saint-Affrique, contributing to the movement of people across enemy lines.

Leadership in the Secret Army

Transferred to Bourg-en-Bresse, Gastaldo became head of the 2nd bureau of the staff of the 7th military region. He made contact with Frenay in Lyon in 1942 and later became head of the 2nd bureau of the staff of the Secret Army.

Arrest and imprisonment

On June 9, 1943, Gastaldo and others were arrested near the La Pompe metro. They were imprisoned in Fresnes and later deported to the Struthof camp, then to camps in Poland.

Escape and liberation

In 1945, Gastaldo escaped during a transport to Flossenburg. After being recaptured and beaten, he was liberated by Allied forces from the Reichenau camp.

Post-war honors

Gastaldo received several honors, including the Knight of the Legion of Honor and the Medal of the French Resistance. In 2016, a plaque in his honor was placed in Moûtiers, and a street in Bourg-en-Bresse bears his name.