Jean Dieuzaide’s photos immortalizing the liberation of Toulouse echo current events

On August 19, 1944, Jean Dieuzaide photographed the Cross of Lorraine on the Matabiau train station in Toulouse. Eighty years later, his photos of the Liberation still move passers-by. An exhibition, visible until September 22, revives the collective memory and resonates with current events.

On August 19, 1944, Toulouse freed itself from the Nazi yoke. That day, a young 23-year-old photographer, Jean Dieuzaide, immortalized a key moment: the Cross of Lorraine planted at the top of the Matabiau station, symbol of victory. His photos, taken in the heat of the moment in the euphoria of regained freedom, bear witness to this historic moment. Today, eighty years later, his photos continue to capture passers-by in a striking mise en abyme.

In total, 80 photos document the liberation of Toulouse and the first days of freedom, after 20 months under occupation. With his camera, Jean Dieuzaide had in hand his travel diary, each image telling hour by hour the story of a city reborn. At just 23 years old, Dieuzaide then took the road to Lyon to immortalize the disasters of the post-war period. His gaze, young and still full of hope, captures both the destruction and the resilience of the French landscapes.

Today, the photos from that time are exhibited outdoors, side by side with current images of the same places. The buildings, sometimes unchanged, seem to have resisted time, retaining that authenticity that moves passers-by. “We see the buildings which have hardly changed, they are still in their original state,” remarks a visitor, touched by this decor that has remained intact. A setting that, in its stillness, manages to revive deep emotions.

A resident of the pink city wanders among the images and confides, moved: “It particularly touches me. I get a lot of emotion when I look at them. It gives me a little jolt, because the war is on Europe’s doorstep. We mustn’t forget Ukraine. These bombed buildings are so close to us, after all.” His words echo a collective concern about a present that sometimes painfully recalls the past. An American tourist adds: “I think it’s important to remind people what happened. I hope it makes them think about the fact that it could happen again, especially with everything that’s going on in the world right now.”

The photographic exhibition by Jean Dieuzaide, entitled In the liberated Southis visible outdoors in Toulouse until September 22. To extend this historical immersion, an album dedicated to these unique photos will be published on August 22 by Privat editions, allowing everyone to keep a piece of visual memory, witness to the dark and bright hours of our history.