Complex sentence: Madeleine Damerment was born in Lille, the daughter of the Headpostmaster of Lille; following the occupation of France by the Germans in World War II, her family became actively involved with the French Resistance.
Split into simpler sentences: Madeleine Damerment was born in Lille, the daughter of the postmaster of Lille. Following the occupation of France by the Germans in World War II, her family became actively involved with the French resistance.