Maison du Souvenir

Under the sign of the recollection

From September 23rd till October 30th, 2011,

Exhibition conceived and realized by Magdala and Ribac.

Magdala is a painter of contemporary crowned art and a painter of historic subjects. She is notably the author of two itinerant exhibitions: one on the Marie’s Appearances in France, the other one on the Thérése’s spirituality.

Ribac is a painter-sculptor. His exhibitions speak about the human condition and about the future’s planet. He is in particular the author of works, built according to a « numeric dynamics  » which is personal and which he applies to the image.

Together, they are the authors of the exhibition “Under the sign of the recollection” evoking the dramas and the tragedies of the humanity.

They are also the co-authors of an exhibition itinerant, « the Webs of the Peace », panoramic of the history of the humanity, the previous history in our days having essentially for stages the cathedrals of France.

The documentary « Maillé, a crime without murderers » on French television France 2 interested more than 1.2 million viewers!

Christophe Weber’s scenario and documentary. Produced by Sunset Presse and Centreimage. With the cooperation of France Televisions.

Divided Touraine – the demarcation line

from April 1st to August 30th, 2011

The Maison du Souvenir of Maillé realized this exhibition in partnership with the Academic Inspection of the Indre et Loire and the General Council of the Indre et Loire.

During the second world war, the demarcation line, fixed by the armistice of June 22nd, 1940, is the limit between the free zone in the South and the occupied zone by the German army in the North of France. It cuts France in two through thirteen departments and on about 1 200 kilometers.

On November 11th, 1942, the German army invades the whole French territory.

On March 1st, 1943, the demarcation line is officially abolished.

The exhibition reviews the current researches, by finding the most precise plan of this arbitrary border. It redraws the daily life, the administrative complications to obtain of the famous pass …

It evokes the world of the smugglers who, in an non armed resistance, refused the laws of the occupant, often at the risk of their life.

The priest Henri Péan, the underestimated leader of the Resistance in Touraine and in Vienne

March 1st, 2011 – March 31st, 2011

The Maison du Souvenir realized this exhibition in partnership with the municipalities of Draché, la Celle Saint-Avant and Maillé. The first day took place on February 11th, 2011 in Draché, in the presence of Monseigneur François Du Sartel, general vicar of the diocese.

Priest of the parishes of Draché, la Celle Saint-Avant and Maillé from 1930, the priest Henri Péan was, under the occupation, the soul of the Resistance in the South of Touraine. From 1940, he is used to make crossthe demarcation line to more than 2 000 fugitives, among whom of numerous Jews and allied airmen. He also forms a network of information and action. At the head, he organizes parachutings, passes on major information in London, factory of false papers, …

Arrested by the Gestapo in February, 1944, he dies under the torture.

He gave evidence of a total self-abnegation and a real contempt of the danger, in the service of all those who, as him, fought against the occupant. Archives are rare. The priest was too modest and worried of serving, to have thought of leaving testimonies. Hero of the Resistance, he thus remains underestimated.

The exhibition coincides with the release of Jean – Gilles Dutardre’s eponymic book (in French only) in the editions Anovi, presented during the exhibition’s first day.

On August 25th, 2008, Mister President of the French Republic, Mister Nicolas Sarkozy, laid a bunch on the Memorial of the cemetery and in front of the patch of the public garden in memory 124 victims.

He then inaugurated the Maison du Souvenir.

on 3 novembre 2008.
Memory House

discours de Son Altesse Sérénissime le Prince Albert II de Monaco (crédit photo Maison du Souvenir)

affiche exposition Les époux Hale

with

H.S.H.Prince Albert II of Monaco
Madam Blum, mayor of Santa Barbara (Californie)
Mister Klein, First Secretary Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Paris