On March 11, 1922, 100 years ago, the Territoire de Belfort officially became a department. Activities are organized this Friday to celebrate this anniversary date.
The program of the festivities
- 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Sale of the centenary stamp. La Poste is issuing a symbolic stamp created by the artist Stéphane Humbert-Basset for the occasion. It will be on sale in advance at the Hôtel du département. An exhibition will also be offered to visitors.
- 10am – Planting a tree. A lime tree accompanied by a commemorative plaque will be planted in Courcelles, in communal land at the entrance to the village.
- 2:30 p.m. – Historic meeting. A conference on the history of the Territory of Belfort will be organized in the village hall of Belfort, in the presence of Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate; François Sauvadet, President of the Assembly of the Departments of France; Christophe Steiner, Ambassador of Monaco; Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France; Yves Ackermann, former chairman of the general council between 2004 and 2015; Christian Proust, former president of the general council between 1982 and 2004; representatives of the Denfert-Rochereau family.
- 8:30 p.m. – “Roaring Twenties” evening. A gala will be organized at Place de l’Arsenal, in a marquee “all in wood, red velvet, art deco stained glass and dimmed lights”dating from the 1920s, “where the shadow of The Great Gatsby will hover”. Participants are invited to come in costume (sequins, boas, mustaches). They will dive into this era, thanks to a retrospective of fashion from 1922 to today with the projection of a parade. A car, a Peugeot motorcycle and some period objects will be exhibited. Finally, they will enjoy a dancing evening punctuated by the music of the last 100 years. The event is full, a waiting list has been set up in case of cancellation.
The centenary of the Territoire de Belfort will be celebrated throughout 2022. Other events are scheduled. Information can be found in detail at the website centenaire90.fr.