Tulle
On June 9, 2024, the 80th anniversary of the massacre of 99 innocent civilians and the deportation of over 150 other civilians in Tulle, 101 of whom never returned, was commemorated. To honor the victims, a two-meter version of the "Paperbomb" was unveiled on this day at the central memorial site, the Champ des Martyrs, by François Hollande, the former French president.
As a symbol of peace, the sculpture by a German artist, exhibited at a French memorial site, stands for Franco-German rapprochement and friendship.
The ceremony was attended by numerous representatives from politics, culture, and civil society of both countries. Speakers recalled the importance of a common European culture of remembrance. The installation sees itself as a warning against forgetting and a call for lasting dialogue.
The following day, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the memorial site with the newly installed sculpture in Tulle before meeting with German President Steinmeier in Oradour-sur-Glane.
In Oradour-sur-Glane, the German President presented his French counterpart, Macron, with a miniature version of the sculpture, which serves to keep alive the memory of the horrors of the past and at the same time acts as a symbol of reconciliation and dialogue. "The 'Paperbomb' sculpture reflects the fragility of peace and the necessity of its preservation. It stands for our shared responsibility to keep memory alive and to work together for a peaceful future," explained Steinmeier.
