The city of Lodève remembers its liberation 80 years ago with a great propular celebration

The FFI troops land in front of the cathedral and the town hall under the eyes of the population. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

Le vieux camion Unic, mitraillé par les Allemands en 1940, entre en ville avec les maquisards. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

Parade, chants et lecture, cérémonie officielle ont rythmé la matinée commémorative du 15 septembre.

The Saint-Fulcran bells rang out at 10:30 a.m., after the procession stopped on the cathedral square, in front of the town hall, as it had 80 years ago. Even though it took place on August 22, it was this Sunday, September 15, that the City celebrated its liberation and the end of the German occupation around a highlight.

Sub-Prefect Eric Suzanne and Mayor Gaëlle Lévêque and her deputy Marie-Laure Verdol in the Command Car. Midi Libre – Damien Sintes

On the program, a parade of vehicles, FFI troops and flag bearers of patriotic and memorial associations who had taken their places in the jeeps, vans and other trucks in front of the smiling Lodévois, happy to attend the show, before gathering in the courtyard of the town hall and then coming just behind to attend a ceremony in front of the War Memorial.

Pierre Jacques Piernas from Lodévois at the wheel of one of the 7 jeeps that made up the procession. Midi Libre – Damien Sintes

“À la hauteur”

At 10:15 a.m., the convoy stopped in front of the cathedral and the town hall. Nearly 300 people were there, in the courtyard to share the pleasure of listening to Lise Moyne perform the Hymn to Joy then France accompanied by the director of the music school Florence Cavalier on the clarinet then the piano, and the Réveil Lodévois.

Lise Moyne performed several songs in the courtyard of the town hall and then in front of the war memorial. Midi Libre – Damien Sintes

The singer then sang Bella Ciao, the Chant des Partisans and a Marseillaise during the official ceremony which followed just next door, in front of the War Memorial in the presence of the authorities and many Lodévois again. We could hear young Adriana, from the MJC, reading a letter from a young resistance fighter addressed to his parents.

A musical stop in front of the mayor and nearly 300 people. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

"We wanted, as the sub-prefect also wanted, to share and celebrate this anniversary with dignity. To remind ourselves of a period when reappropriating places and time was an imperative necessity", recalled Mayor Gaëlle Lévêque during her speech, closing the morning to which the residents responded in attendance. The elected official took the opportunity to thank her deputy Marie-Laure Verdol and all those who worked to hold this anniversary.

The laying of wreaths in front of the Foreign Legion picket and flag bearers followed by the Marseillaise performed by Lise Moyne. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

“It was important, as others have done elsewhere, to celebrate this anniversary, in August, in September, whatever. The main thing was to do it”, added the sub-prefect Éric Suzanne who the day before had attended the 80th anniversary of the Maquis Bir Hakeim in Clermont-l’Hérault, Mourèze and Canet before being an actor in the readings in Lodévois, in the evening at the cinema, like Gaëlle Lévêque elsewhere. “I saw smiles throughout the procession in town, an image of unity around popular happiness. The result is worthy of the collective energy deployed to put this event together."

Adriana, from the MJC read the letter of a young maquisard to his parents at the Monument. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

Conference and readings at Lutéva

The day before, Saturday 14, historian Jean-Pierre Fournier gave a conference on the Occupation and Liberation in Lodévois at the Lutéva cinema, before reading texts and testimonies from the period in front of a hundred people.

Jean-Pierre Fournier on the stage of the main cinema hall.

"From November 11, 1942, when German troops crossed the demarcation lines, demonstrations were held in Lodève in front of the War Memorial", the speaker said. The city was then part of the military region of the Resistance 3 (which included the former Languedoc-Roussillon plus Aveyron). The gendarmerie of the sub-prefecture capital was then rather pro-maquis. “In 1944, Lodève suffered a series of arrests on denunciations”. Among them, Eugène Taly was notably remembered. “On June 1, London sent a message reporting an upcoming event, and that it was then necessary to prepare to slow down the movements of the German army. In reality, practically no German convoys will pass through Lodève at the time of the withdrawal of the troops." On August 1st of that same year, the militiaman Auguste Ruez is killed in the commune. On August 22nd, Lodève is liberated. This is the eve of the Liberation of the regional capital Montpellier…