August 25, 1944: Liberation in the Marais

On August 25, 1944, Paris was liberated after four years of German occupation. This day marked a decisive turning point in the Second World War and symbolized the end of the struggle for the French capital.

In the historic Marais district, the liberation was also accompanied by fighting and barricades erected since August 19. Violent clashes continued between German forces and the FFI resistance and the 2nd Armored Division led by General Leclerc.

In the Marais, particularly at the intersection of Vieille du Temple and Francs-Bourgeois streets, bombings caused destruction and numerous civilian casualties, with buildings gutted and destroyed, such as the Hôtel d'Hérouet. This damage testifies to a final, fierce German resistance that refuses to give ground.

Known as "Pletzl" and located around Rue des Rosiers, the Jewish quarter of the Marais was permanently marked by persecution during the German occupation. In August 1944, it was severely weakened by four years of dispossession, roundups, and deportations that decimated the Jewish population.

A community that suffered confiscation of property, closure of businesses, anti-Semitic acts, and deportations. 75 French Jews were deported to concentration camps, including 568 children.

In this regard, one can see at the Shoah Memorial the Wall of Names - of these victims - inaugurated on January 27, 2005 by President Jacques Chirac and Simone Veil.

Upon liberation, the Marais district was partially destroyed and deeply scarred. Residents began to regain control of their lives, although the aftereffects of years of deprivation and looting were still palpable.

After the surrender signed at the Police Prefecture, General de Gaulle triumphantly entered Paris on August 25. The liberation of Paris symbolized the rebirth of a district steeped in history and the beginning of a reconstruction marked by the desire to preserve its unique heritage.