Baudreville

In Normandy the making of Calvados is an art handed down from generation to generation.
Calvados is distilled cider and is usually only made in the Autumn, from last years cider.
Most of the apple brandy is made illegally even today, despite the best efforts of the French Government to curb the manufacture by withdrawing licenses, when a person dies.
At one time the license was handed down to all the children, so as you can imagine most people had a license, although they were expected to declare it to the authorities and pay tax.
During the occupation the Germans seeing that it was not much used wanted to scrap it for its copper to aid the war effort..
The local mayor told the owner that he must make more use of it and so he did, it was used continually, making its owner quite an income, as the Germans also liked the amber nectar.
It was used until 1952 when it was retired and placed in front of the owners house as a memorial to a small bit of defiance during the occupation.
This story of stills being kept in constant production during the occupation is not confined to Baudreville.