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The Memorial
The site
The signing of the Franco-vietnamese protocol of
1986 necessitated a search for a site in France for the placement
of a cemetery. The city of Fréjus was chosen when it offered
to donate the land. The choice was also symbolic in that Fréjus
had played a role in colonial history: It had been the site
of a military camp for forces leaving for Indo-china. A pagoda,
a monument and a Marine museum recall this link with the past.
The Name
The remains in the cemetery of Fréjus are
those of soldiers who "Died for France"
in war time. |
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The remains of 3,165 other soldiers , who had died in
peacetime, were reinterred in a cemetery at the military
base at La Lègue. The war dead date for the
most part date from 1940 to 1945 and from 1946 to 1954.
It was soon decided that the plan for a cemetery should
also include a history room. In addition, a memorial
erected by a veterans group in 1983 was included in
the plans.
The name "Memorial to the Wars in Indo-china"
was adopted to reflect the whole ensemble.
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Les
alvéoles où reposent les restes de
17250 militaires "Morts pour la France" en Indochine
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The Plan
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Vue
aérienne du Mémorial
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The size of the available land and the interest
in designing a "place of memory" necessitated a
competition based on a program established by the Bureau of
Architecture.
Seventy-five proposals were presented. Six pilot studies
were accepted and , on February 10, 1987, a jury chose the
proposal of M. Bernard Desmoulin. The memorial, bounded by
a circular ambulatory about 110 meters in diameter occupies
about 5.8 acres. |
The circle symbolizes a journey and, at the same time,
a military zone as a heritage of tribal spiritual circles.
Rows of drawers contain the identified remains of 17,188 soldiers,
including 62 sets of remains from the cemetery of Luynes where
they had been buried before 1975.
A
path leads up to the highest point of the necropolis from
where the sea can be seen, the road to Indo-china.
In the crypt, 3,152 unidentified remains have been
placed.
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L'ossuaire
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On the walls are affixed plaques donated
by various national veterans groups who wish to remember in
particular all the different types of military units.
Although national cemeteries are legally reserved for members
of the military who "Died for France" in war time,
as a special exception, the remains of 3,515 civilians including
25 unidentified sets of remains have been interred on the
site in a columbarium built below the north-west part of the
peripheral ambulatory. |
The entrance to the cemetery is at the point where
the circle is tangent to National Route 7, between the monument
and the history room... |
The History Room
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The 100 square meter history room attempts to clarify
the meaning of the necropolis before which it stands.
In order to respect the motivation of the participants of
the conflict and raise the awareness of visitors, the Center
of Military History and Studies at Montpellier chose to
evoque the battles in a sparing manner. No names of
persons or units are mentioned. Only the image of
the Soldier and the memory of his presence in the
lands of Indo-china are presented.
Illuminated maps show the combat actions in their geographical
locations. On the central table, mock-ups and dioramas
show specific aspects. On the sides, photo albums
reflect the life of the combatants.
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La
salle historique |
The memorial was inaugurated on February 16,
1993 by President Mitterrand.
At a later date, other parts of the memorial completed the
ensemble. |
The chapel
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In order that the spiritual element which
is to be found in national cemeteries not be forgotten, a
chapel was built.
It is not a building where religious services take place
but a place of personal prayer, where the visitor can find
a place in which the association of stone, metal and vegetation
creates an environment favorable to rest and contemplation.
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Cliquez sur les stèles
pour les agrandirs... |
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It is divided into four sections, corresponding
to the major religions practiced by the soldiers in Indo-china.
Each section is embodied by a stela of metal in which a stone
is embedded carrying an engraved symbol and an extract of
a sacred text of the particular religion.
The architect planned that these sections would have
an open visual aspect, open to the other religions on the
inside and to the memorial to the dead on the outside, but
also sufficiently enclosed so that the visitor would have
the impression of a certain isolation, favorable for meditation. |
The "Secrétariat d'Etat à la défense, chargé des anciens
combattants" (bureau of Veterans Affairs) is responsible
for the memorial since it is a national cemetery. The "Direction
interdépartementale des anciens combattants" (Interdepartmental
Office of Veterans Affairs) at Marseilles manages the memorial.
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