To mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the city of Sélestat, the Humanist Library has joined forces with the Ville d'art et d'histoire and the municipal archives to bear witness to the resilience and courage of an occupied territory, and to the fragility of heritage in times of conflict.
Immerse yourself in the heart of the Second World War
Using oral testimonies, combined with the city's archives and those of the Humanist Library, the exhibition retraces the key episodes of this troubled local history: from the uncertain anticipation of the "phony war" to the challenges imposed by the protection of cultural assets and the possibility of evacuations.
But it also evokes the Nazi administration's control of the population and the tragedy of forced conscription, right up to the city's Liberation, which took place against a backdrop of violent fighting.
Understanding a complex period
More than a simple reconstruction of local historical facts, this exhibition is an attempt to convey and understand a complex period, whose events echo contemporary political issues.
The chosen approach aims to shed light on history from different angles. It also aims to encourage collective appropriation of this memory. Commemoration is thus revealed as a tool for building and maintaining a shared memory.
