Families facing the great mute
As the years go by, the families of the missing will find it harder and harder to accept the defence secrecy imposed on them by the Navy.
These are initially individual and isolated reactions that will begin with the son of one of the missing officers, Christophe AGNUS, 15 years after the tragedy. As the years pass, the families, more numerous, demand to know more and will rally around Jean-Paul KRINTZ, one of the survivors.
The revolt of Christophe Agnus
The Navy has remained silent on the Minerve.
Christophe AGNUS, son of Lieutenant Jean AGNUS, was the first to attempt to find out more in 1983. He was just 19 and studying journalism.
He was rejected.
He did not give up, however, and tried again with each change of minister and each change of President of the Republic.
He tells the story of his attempt.
Testimonials
“I have, on three occasions, requested the opening of the Minerve file, covered by the defense secret. I had three refusals. The third time, I was invited to lunch by Admiral Orsini, then head of the strategic submarine forces. I was received by a host of senior officers and admirals telling me in essence: "don't try to find out: there is nothing to know, the file is empty". My reaction, natural, was to say: "if the file is empty, it should not be a big violation of a secret defense to show it...". The answer was always, "No, we won't show, but it's empty." I had a hard time following the logic. Even years later. Today, I expect that one day, this file will be opened. Because I really want, one day, to know the truth. And I have a feeling the Navy knows her. »
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"After the election of Nicolas Sarkozy, I made a new request and I then received a letter from the chief of the private staff of the president inviting me to contact the commander of the archives of the Navy of Vincennes , who had been notified of my request and the president's acceptance. So I contacted this commander, a captain, and we made an appointment. On the appointed day, he was waiting for me, having gathered all the archives in one room (if I remember correctly, 5 large boxes). I was able to consult them freely. The commander had told me, in the introduction, that following my letter he had examined the archives and replied to the presidency that there was nothing, in the archived documents, which justifies such a long defense secret. I didn't actually see anything special. It was late 2007 I believe. I think these are the same archives that are now open to everyone. »
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The fight of Jean-Paul KRINTZ
Jean-Paul Krintz was one of those who have been called the "Survivors of Minerva" (see HERE the page dedicated to them).
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Retired after a career as a policeman, he will undertake a long fight to perpetuate the memory of his fallen comrades.
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He too will try to find out what happened and will try to gain access to the file.
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Testimonials
Jean Paul recounts how his visit went:
"At the request of the families of the friends who disappeared aboard the Minerve, I accompanied them in October 2009 to Fort Vincennes (headquarters of the French Navy archives) to consult the archives on the tragedy of this submarine which occurred on January 27, 1968.
[There were Mr. Antoine and Gérard COUSTAL, father and brother of Marcel COUSTAL, Mrs. Marie Joseph and Messrs. Michel and Christophe BASSIERE sister, brother-in-law and nephew of Alain GUERIN, Isabelle HELMER sister of Bernard HELMER, Mr. and Mrs. Lucien MESSAIEN father and mother of Patrick MESSAIEN, Monique TRICHERY sister of Gérard LAMBERT Anne-Marie LOICHET mother of Maurice LOICHET and Jean Paul KRINTZ.
We were received by a commander representing the Minister of Defense.
No answers to specific questions. A commander who knows nothing about submarines, except to blame the crew's youth and inexperience.
Last question asked: Will the archives be available for consultation in 2018?
Answer: No, in 2028.
In 2028, if I'm still alive, I'll be 83 years old. Can I hope to consult them?
Doubt clothes me in a great lie from this Royal whom I served with honor and fidelity.
In fact, we are being lied to across the board, because voices will be raised that disagree with the official statements. My heart aches for these families who are only waiting for one thing: the truth to help them come to terms with their grief.
I feel guilty for being alive and not being at their side, at my post in the auxiliary. Thank you for reading me and perhaps this reflection will one day yield its share of truth."
Jean Paul uploaded numerous documents to YouTube. It was he who obtained from his friend, the famous journalist Yves Mourousi, who died in 1998 and whom he had met during his career, a copy of the 1967 television report on the Minerve, two months before its disappearance. The crew was essentially the same crew that was to disappear two months later.
Minerve Submarine Street in Caylus
​​On October 3, 2010, in his village, Caylus, in the Tarn et Garonne, the street where he lives was renamed "Rue du Sous-Marin Minerve" On this occasion de very many families come, Admiral Jacques Blanc, president of the AGASM (General Association of Friends of Submariners) and many representatives of the Navy.
See Jean-Paul Krintz's speech by clickingHERE
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Il tirelessly pursues its fight, impatiently awaiting the day when access to the archives will finally be authorized. He was unfortunately struck down by a heart attack in March 2017 a few months before the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the disappearance of La Minerva.
![CAYLUS - 2 & 3 Octobre 2010 - 189[2].jp](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/353d69_81576ba79e5b4af29857f2af919dc013~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_291,h_218,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/CAYLUS%20-%202%20%26%203%20%20Octobre%202010%20-%20189%5B2%5D_jp.jpg)
Jean-Paul Krintz giving his speech at the inauguration of the Rue du Sous-Marin Minerve in Caylus