Centre de la mémoire d'Oradour

The Centre de la mémoire in Oradour -sur -Glane has set itself the task of the massacre of Oradour - to commemorate a crime committed by the Waffen-SS on June 10, 1944 War crimes, to inform and as a memorial for future generations effect.

Formation

On the initiative of Jean -Claude Peyronnet, President of the Conseil Général of Haute -Vienne and in agreement with the French association of the families of the martyrs, the project was submitted in 1989 to the then French President François Mitterrand. 1992, the project management has been established in an international tender and received the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of the war invalids and veterans, the region and the European Community. In 1994, a project manager is set, which is entrusted with the historical research and the coordination of the project. At the same time it was decided to transfer the responsibility for the architecture and construction Yves Devraine and his team.

1999, the Centre de la mémoire of Jacques Chirac and the French Minister of Culture, Catherine Trautmann, opened.

Since 2001, an Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service can be completed at the Centre de la mémoire.

2002, the Centre de la mémoire 300,000 visitors were able to view both the permanent exhibition, as well as time-limited projects.

Architecture

According to the concept of Yves Devraine should the Centre de la mémoire form a symbiosis with the landscape and thus become a kind of " non- architecture". This so-called " non- architecture " consists of a roof from which one can have a view over the valley Glane, the ruins and the new village and is further underlined by a central crack in the building, as indicated by rusted steel plates. This plan is meant to symbolize the destruction by its form, through his material transience in mind and so offer an aged appearance. The entire complex was partially sunk into the ground, so as not to detract from the ruins, or to hide them all.

Exhibitions

In the circular entrance hall, the visitor is confronted with two highly symbolic photographs: on the one hand, Hitler, in his speech to the masses at the Nazi Party Rally in Nuremberg, on the other hand, there is the word " Souviens -toi " ( Remember ), which also is to be read at the entrance to the ruins of Oradour. The permanent exhibition is held in this style of opposites. So Nazism and the career of the SS Division is using the black and red colors, described "Das Reich". In contrast, the description of daily life in Oradour stands before the massacre, represented by means of soft, bright colors and materials. At the lowest level there is the Documentation Centre to receive his modularly variable rooms, which make it possible to both groups of students and teachers, and educators under optimal conditions. At the beginning of this extensive documentation was the French and foreign archives, photographs, films, publications and magazines contain, intended to support the historical research in the preparation of the permanent exhibition.

The sobriety, which is mediated by the outer appearance, allows anyone to conduct their own considerations. The size of the glass and mirrored surface invites visitors on a journey from the past to the future, which is located on the other side of the mirror.