Lest we forget

During the four years of war, the population of Châlons suffered numerous bombardments and the town was heavily impacted by the conflict.

To find out more about the life of the people of Châlons during these four years, check out our heritage brochure: Parcours 14-18, Châlons during the Great War.

The Plaque of the Unknown American Soldier: In 1920, the President of the French Republic, Raymond Poincaré, presented the Mayor of Châlons, Joseph Servas, with a Croix de Guerre as a tribute to the suffering experienced and to commemorate the First World War.

The following year, the Americans decided to honour an unidentified American soldier who died on French soil.

The plaque of the unknown American soldier is on display in the entrance hall to the Hôtel de Ville.

The Gestapo Museum, Cours d’Ormesson

When Châlons was taken in 1940 and until its liberation in August 1944, the Nazis requisitioned the Chamber of Agriculture to use as their offices.

“They used the basements, which they transformed into the most basic cells. In the crawl space, they even threw prisoners into solitary confinement, where they were kept permanently in the dark and with water up to their knees. The place also includes two torture chambers, one of which is visible.”

This former Gestapo house became a museum in 1994 under the impetus of two resistance fighters, Jacques Songy and Jean Chabaud.

It opens its doors on occasion, notably during the European Heritage Days or on request, for a guided tour with the Tourist Office.