Jean Kieffer (1923 – 1944)
Jean Kieffer was born in Paris on 21 May 1923, the son of an unmarried mother. As his mother Catherine Kieffer (1900 - 1925) died when he was 2 years old, he spent his childhood and youth with his grandparents in Junglinster.
At the age of 19, Jean Kieffer was forcibly recruited and trained as a grenadier.
Not even 21 years old, he was killed on 29 January 1944 in the battle of Aprilia (near Rome) in Italy, which broke out a few days after the Allied (American and British) landings at Anzio. Aprillia was considered one of the focal points in the Battle of Rome.
Text: Marta Batista Leite and Rui Da Silva Videira (both 3GPS)
Sources: Etat civil commune de Junglinster, Luxemburger Wort of 22 February 1944, Standesamt Berlin, pictures of Jean Kieffer from the Metzler-Zens family estate.
Picture (left): Jean Kieffer as a child with his cousin Adeline Beaume.
