The centenary of the First World War was the occasion of many events all over France. It continues in a way this Thursday, November 11 at Olivet, who celebrates 100 years of its war memorial, officially inaugurated on July 31, 1921.
A public subscription from 1919
This monument was one of the first erected in the Loiret in memory of the Poilus. “The decision was taken at the beginning of 1919, therefore before the great French law of October 25 which encouraged the municipalities to create memorial monuments., highlighted Jacky Plotu, the president of the ARPO association (A la Recherche du Passé d’Olivet). This is perhaps due to the trauma experienced by the population: 161 Olivetans died during the Great War, and double the wounded, out of a population which then numbered 3,800 inhabitants.. “
– Francois Guéroult
Consequence of this early decision: Olivet did not receive financial assistance from the state for his war memorial, but had to resort to a public subscription. “The elected officials themselves put in the pocket and went door to door with the inhabitants“Says Jacky Plotu. With certain success: 13,000 francs collected at the time, out of the 15,000 francs that will prove to be necessary (the rest will be completed by the town of Olivet).
156 or 161 Olivetans who died in 14-18?
The law of separation between Church and State prohibiting any religious sign on the building, only a quote from Victor Hugo is inscribed on the monument – “Glory to our eternal France! Glory to those who died for her!“- as well as the names of 156 fallen Olivetans.”156 and not 161, as we have identified them, specifies Jacky Plotu; the difference comes from Poilus who died of their wounds, but after the armistice, and who were not officially recognized as dead for France.“
– Francois Guéroult
This history of the monument to the dead of Olivet is retraced by the ARPO in an exhibition presented at the Alliage until Saturday (from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Symbolically, the commemoration of the Armistice this Thursday morning in Olivet will stop at the place of the exhibition.