Margu Dumas

Adrian Ugalde (maternal half-bother, with Jacques Ugalde)

Laurence Dumas (daughter with Irish-immigrant)

**Marguerite "Margu" Dumas** (1926 - )

## Background

Margu as known also Marguerite Dumas was born in Paris on May 6th, 1926, had a challenging childhood. Her mother, Fatima Dumas, worked as a prostitute and neglected Margu, who often spent her time on the streets. Margu would spend her days playing with other children and even stealing flowers, which angered the locals. However, she saw her actions as a kind gesture towards the other children. Margu befriended a Jewish-French boy named Louis Blau, who lived in the same neighborhood as her. Despite their similar experiences, Louis struggled with his upbringing, as his father wanted him to become a rabbi, while Louis secretly desired to become a teacher. Margu was curious about Louis's studies, but he would reject her out of fear of getting caught by his father. Their friendship was marked by Margu's desire to play princess, with Louis reluctantly playing the prince. One day, Margu was hurt when a tree fell on her during their game, but she laughed it off. At the age of seven, Marguerite Dumas and Louis Blau had an embarrassing incident where they fell into a water fountain in public. Louis's father was furious and took him home, while Margu ran away to her own home. Despite this, they remained close friends throughout their childhood. One day, Louis showed Margu a bruise on his eye from getting punched for having a book, and she felt bad.

However, when she was attacked by three dogs on her way home, Louis came to her rescue but still rejected her. Margu was sent to an orphanage after her mother's suicide, and Louis watched her leave with a heavy heart. Years later, Margu started working at St. Eva's church, where she reunited with Louis. Her personality had become erratic due to her past experiences, leading to mixed emotions when she remembered Louis and her mother's death. Margu found purpose in caring for people with disabilities and children from different countries, including African and Ilina, whom she became a guardian to. At the age of nine, Margu attended an all-girls high school, where she reunited with Louis while walking to the orphanage in 1935. Margu was not surprised when Louis broke down in tears at the sight of her and tried to walk away. However, fate brought them together again one night at the church, and they ended up falling into a fountain while trying to kiss. The nuns caught them, but Louis and Margu were still able to communicate through letters. Margu and the other nuns worked tirelessly to keep the orphanage hidden from the Nazis. When Nazi control of France was imminent, Louis, who had joined the French resistance, came to help Margu. He fought off the Nazis in France for weeks until they took over Vichy France, where Margu was trapped.

Despite the danger, Louis and Margu kept in touch through secret codes and hidden messages. Margu also met an unexpected ally in Vichy France - a German boy named Hans Wagner who was a defector from the Nazi army. Hans had Jewish friends who were killed in the camps, and Margu helped him come to terms with his father's involvement in the death camps. Together, they worked to keep the people with disabilities and Jews safe from the Nazis. Margu knew that the scars of war would last for generations, but she found comfort in Hans's unwavering love for her. Over time, she reciprocated his feelings by helping him heal from his past.
Margu gave Hans advice, acknowledging that war was a part of humanity and that no one was perfect. Their love story took a dramatic turn when they had a romantic encounter that resulted in Margu becoming pregnant at only 16 years old. When she shared the news with Hans, he stopped talking to her for a few days. Tragically, they discovered Hans' lifeless body hanging from a tree. Despite Margu's valiant efforts to save him, he died of brain damage. They buried him in a hidden graveyard, forever etching his memory in Margu's heart. Margu's decision to keep the baby despite the difficulties of their situation showed her unwavering love for her child. She wanted to name the baby Louis after her boyfriend if it was a boy, or Marga after herself if it was a girl. However, some nuns rejected her decision and tried to force her to get an abortion. Margu stood her ground, causing some nuns to stay away from her, except for Sarah and Faya, who remained her steadfast allies. Despite Margu's increasingly erratic behavior, she continued to communicate with Louis over time. However, she was afraid that Louis would reject her due to her past relationships with German soldiers. To avoid this, Margu decided to continue caring for Ilina and disabled children. This work gave her a sense of purpose and fulfillment, allowing her to channel her love and energy into something positive.