It's a colossal job. Bruno Malthet, Châlonnais historian and president of the Nouvelle Catalaunie association, publishes a new work: The Second World War in Châlons and its surroundingssubtitled Historical chronicle collected by Bruno Malthet. The work is divided into two inseparable volumes: the first part covers the period 1939-1942, the second on 1943-1945.
“It’s a special edition of the Little Catalaunian illustratedfollowing on from the one on the First World War that I published in 2018, presents Bruno Malthet. I was asked to do the same thing for World War II. This new book required more research than for the Great War. I started working there at the end of 2023: it took me eight hours of work per day for almost a year. » The most? “The book is published at the time of the 80th anniversary of the Liberation, and it also falls on the 80th anniversary of the Armistice of 1945.”
“Everything was rationed for the population”
This new book of 840 pages in total follows the chronology of the events of the Second World War, presenting day by day the events experienced in the prefecture city during this period. “It’s a bit like a diary. I did my best to be broad enough, and to have an overview of what the Second World War was like in Châlons-en-Champagne. I also talk about the daily life of the inhabitants. Everything was rationed for the population: food, clothing…”
To feed his information, Bruno Malthet “ used the local press, the archives of exchanges between the City of Châlons and the Kommandantur (the German military command installed in France at that time, Editor’s note)as well as between the prefecture and the Kommandantur, explains the historian. I also used municipal archives and the heritage funds of the Pompidou media library. »
Bruno Malthet will give a conference on his new book this Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Pompidou media library. He will also present his work at the Fagnières Christmas market on November 24, and will dedicate it at the Librairie du Mau on Sunday, December 15 from 3 to 6 p.m.
“The Second World War in Châlons and its surroundings”, special issue number 27 of the Little Catalaunien Illustrated, 72 euros. Book on sale at the Petit Catalaunien Illustré, rue Thiers (open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.), as well as at the Librairie du Mau. The book comes with a bookmark featuring a quiz on the subject of the book. The answers will be given in the next Little Catalaunian Illustrated.
