Tuesday October 15, 2024: an essential day for La Mémoire en Chemin, the association which traces the bloody journey of the SS Das Reich division in New Aquitaine

Memory on the Path is preparing to take an essential step in the long work of creating an educational Memory Path crossing 5 departments of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (47, 24, 87, 19, 23). It is at its head office, Lacapelle-Biron, that on Tuesday October 15, the scientific council made up of historians and archivists and chaired by Anne-Maie Cocula, renowned historian, will meet at 10 a.m.

A rare presence

Arno Gisinger will participate in the day’s work. Austrian historian and photographer, Arno teaches in Paris VIII. A prestigious researcher, he works on the links between History, Memory and Representations. He agreed to write the preface to
document which, for the first time, will recall under the same title the abominations committed by the SS of the Reich in 1944, from Saint-Pierre de Clairac to Oradour-sur-Glane, via Lacapelle-Biron, Tulle and the bloody crossing the Dordogne.

Validation of texts

Each martyr site manager provided the Land’Arc Laboratory, responsible for the material implementation of the construction projects
La Mémoire en Chemin, a short account of the events which profoundly marked our departments in May – June 1944. The scientific council will validate or correct these texts which can then be printed. Brought together in the same work, intended primarily for teachers, these texts will help to raise awareness and critical thinking among young people in the face of falsifiers of History.

Milestones and website

In the middle of the day, the members of the board of directors will join the scientists in order to make the final choice of the milestones which will mark the main stages of this Path (material, QR code, shapes, colors, fixing systems, etc.). The group thus formed will also decide on the architecture of the multilingual and interactive website.

Conference by Arno Gisinger

At 5:30 p.m., a free conference, for all audiences, will be given by Arno Gisinger. “See History? war, exile and memories”. He will explain to us how images can help us understand History and will tell us about the terrible fate of Henri Koenig, mayor of a German town, opponent of Nazism, exiled near Agen, joined the Resistance and denounced to the Gestapo.
Arno is co-author with Pierre Rabardel, grandson of Henri Koenig, of a book in French and German on this moving story. Note that the brother of this Resistance hero ran a watch and jewelry store in Monsempron-Libos.

A collective work

This Path of Memory is a collective and civic achievement which aims to be an example of republican values. Memory on the Way calls for the effort of all those who want to defend these values. An online prize pool allows everyone to subscribe according to their means. To access it, simply connect to the “La Mémoire en Chemin – Heloasso” website or send a check, made out to La Mémoire en Chemin, to treasurer Jean-Paul Bedoin – 60, rue Victor Basch – 24000 Périgueux .