{"id":20741,"date":"2017-09-18T07:32:14","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T07:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/?p=20741"},"modified":"2024-03-23T14:26:35","modified_gmt":"2024-03-23T14:26:35","slug":"mdfdefrance-wwii-heres-to-you-guy-de-la-vasselais-gabriel-hocquart-mdfdefriendshipmercitrain70","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/2017\/09\/18\/mdfdefrance-wwii-heres-to-you-guy-de-la-vasselais-gabriel-hocquart-mdfdefriendshipmercitrain70\/","title":{"rendered":"MDFDE\/France: WWII: Here’s to You, Guy de LA VASSELAIS & Gabriel HOCQUART! #MDFDEFriendshipMerciTrain70"},"content":{"rendered":"
G. Hocquard, G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Walton H. Walker et Commandant Guy de La Vasselais par Thomas K. Kone de Dallas, Texas – Coll. BMM\u00a0http:\/\/missmediablog.fr\/gabriel-hocquard-chez-les-indiens\/<\/a><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n

Latest<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

OTD: September 18, 1947 – September 18, 2017<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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70 years ago today,<\/strong> the “Voie de la Libert\u00e9” (“Liberty Highway”) stretching from Cherbourg, France to Bastogne, Belgium, and made of 1,145 symbolic milestones set along the highway, a “Borne” marking every kilometer along the route taken by the glorious General Bradley’s First Army, and General Patton’s Third Army, after D-Day in Normandy on June 6, 1944, was officially dedicated at Fontainebleau, southeast of Paris by Mr. Paul Ramadier, then-President du Conseil along with Mr. Fran\u00e7ois Mitterand then-Minister of War Veterans, in the presence of Mr. Jefferson Caffery, United States Ambassador to France and members of the American Legion. Many military and civilian dignitaries of the Allied Nations were also present at the ceremonies. Since the dedication of the Liberty Road in 1947, heads of states, many American Veterans (some of them do come every year), their children and grandchildren and millions of international visitors have come to visit these Monuments and to remember… E.J.<\/p>\n

Il y a 70 ans aujourd’hui…<\/h2>\n

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\u00ab La Voie de la Libert\u00e9, r\u00e9el chemin de croix, voie sacr\u00e9e baign\u00e9e du sang g\u00e9n\u00e9reux des Enfants de la grande r\u00e9publique amie, associant dans un m\u00eame \u00e9lan, grandes villes et petits villages, est l\u2019hommage d\u00e9mocratique de la terre de France \u00e0 la terre d\u2019Am\u00e9rique. \u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

Commandant Guy de la Vasselais, Fondateur de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9<\/strong><\/p>\n

“All who travel the “Liberty Road” must sense the spirit of comradeship and common destiny that strengthened the soldiers of the Allied Forces who fought along that route in 1944. The same firm unity is still necessary if we are to maintain human dignity and worldwide freedom and to secure a just peace for today and tomorrow generations.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Declaration of General Dwight Eisenhower\u00a0<\/b>(Translated from the French Declaration read during the 1947 official ceremony).<\/p>\n

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Helen Patton, la route de la libert\u00e9<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kTkqP5oWFqY&feature=youtu.be<\/a><\/p>\n

filmsdelapasserelle\u00a0 <\/a>Ajout\u00e9e le 12 juil. 2017<\/b> \u00c0 quoi ressemblerait notre existence, aujourd’hui, si, il y a bient\u00f4t 75 ans, les Alli\u00e9s n’avaient pas remport\u00e9 la victoire ? Que serait-il advenu si la Voie de la Libert\u00e9 n’avait \u00e9t\u00e9 forg\u00e9e par le G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Patton et ses hommes ? Notre \u00e9poque nous confronte, \u00e0 nouveau, \u00e0 des id\u00e9ologies extr\u00e9mistes, qui \u00e9talent leur arrogance. Il est temps de nous souvenir de la Lib\u00e9ration et de ce qu’elle repr\u00e9sente : il ne s’agit pas uniquement de notre route vers la Libert\u00e9, il s’agit \u00e9galement d’un rappel des raisons de tout faire pour la conserver et la prot\u00e9ger. Un projet ambitieux qui interroge l\u2019h\u00e9ritage m\u00e9moriel de la lib\u00e9ration en vue du 75\u00e8me anniversaire en 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\"<\/h1>\n

#GRATI<\/span>TUDE<\/span><\/h1>\n

#RESIS<\/span>TANCE<\/span><\/h1>\n

#MDFDE<\/span>Friendship<\/span>MerciTrain<\/span>70<\/span><\/h1>\n

\u00a9 The Official French-American Project entirely conceived by Ms. Elisabeth JENSSEN to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Friendship Train and the Merci Train (2017- 2019). All rights reserved.<\/p>\n

Chair,<\/strong> Elisabeth Jenssen Co-Chair,<\/strong> Tyler Abell<\/p>\n

Honorary President:<\/strong> The Comte Gilbert de Pusy La Fayette<\/p>\n

Contact:<\/strong> elisabeth.jenssen@francaisdeletranger.org<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Note<\/span><\/b>:<\/b> As part of our ongoing 2-year project #MDFDEFriendshipMerciTrain70 including the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Voie de la Libert\u00e9, the “Liberty Highway” in 2019, the MDFDE is officially working in cooperation with Mr. Michel Scicluna, Mayor of Auneau-Bleury-Saint-Symphorien (Eure-et-Loir) and the European Voie de la Libert\u00e9 Committee (France-Belgium-Luxembourg). E.J.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Senator Guy de la Vasselais (1902-1976)<\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n

On March 10, 1946,<\/strong> Colonel Guy de La Vasselais, who was French liaison officer to General Patton and his glorious Third Army during WWII, elected Mayor of Saint Symphorien (1945), near Chartres (Eure-et-Loir), and Gabriel Hocquart, Mayor of Metz (Moselle), were personally invited by their brother-in-arms, General Walton Harris Walker, to spend one month in the United States. Needless to say, their trip and stay, especially in Dallas, Texas, was quite memorable (see French article below).<\/p>\n

Back in France in mid-April,<\/strong> in June Guy de la Vasselais suggested to Mayor Hocquard the idea–after having suffered so much under four years of German Nazi oppression–of erecting a monument to commemorate the Liberation of France by the American Armies and to honor the soldiers who sacrificed much in so doing: a monument that would symbolize the idea of Liberty.<\/p>\n

On December 10, 1946,<\/strong> a National Committee of the “Voie de la Libert\u00e9,” was officially launched in Paris, France. The distinguished Board included Mr. Jefferson CAFFERY, U.S. Ambassador to France (1944\u20131949) and French General Alphonse JUIN. Mayor Hocquart was named President and Guy de La Vasselais Secretary General. Mrs. George Patton was their Honorary President.<\/p>\n

On September 18, 1947,<\/strong> the \u00ab\u00a0Voie de la Libert\u00e9<\/em>\u00a0\u00bb (The Liberty Road) was inaugurated in the Cour des Adieux at the Palais of Fontainebleau, France.<\/p>\n

Between 1947-1952,<\/strong> Mayor DE LA VASSELAIS served as Counselor to the “Union Francaise” (Overseas Territories). He was elected Senator in 1959.<\/p>\n

And last but not least, following up on the extraordinary Drew Pearson’s Friendship Train grassroots initiative in 1947, Guy de La Vasselais was named Executive Vice-president of the French Gratitude Train Committee, the “Merci Train” Committee, in 1948.<\/p>\n

FYI:<\/strong> Among the 52,000 gifts loaded onto the legendary 49 “40 & 8” boxcars of the Merci Train sent to America in January 1949 were several replicas of the said bornes “Voie de la Libert\u00e9” offered by French towns to American towns.<\/p>\n

I am proud to say that I have now been able to locate all the original “Merci Train Bornes” along with “Bornes” (the easier part) sent afterwards as project “Bornes in America.” There is still so much researching to do and countless efforts in connecting French and American cities, towns and villages (some of them having never even heard about the Friendship and Merci Trains, let alone these precious “Bornes” also sent as a token of gratitude and friendship) but that’s a fantastic challenge so, “Game on!” E.J.<\/p>\n

Link:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.senat.fr\/senateur\/de_la_vasselais_guy000072.html<\/a><\/p>\n

ALL MDFDE\u2019S ROADS LEAD TO THE MARQUIS DE LA FAYETTE AND LADY LIBERTY IN NEW YORK HARBOR VIA\u2026 METZ…<\/h2>\n

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\u00a0<\/address>\n
La Fayette as a lieutenant general, in 1791. Portrait by Joseph-D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Court. Public Domain.\u00a0<\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n

In 1775,<\/strong> La Fayette, a young military officer who had embraced the ideas carried by the Enlightenment and had recently acquired\u00a0Freemason beliefs in Liberty, Morality and Ethics, was taking part in his unit\u2019s annual training in Metz. There he\u00a0met the commander of the Army of the East, Charles-Fran\u00e7ois de Broglie, marquis de Ruffec (1719-1781), who was helping Beaumarchais in devising a scheme to secretly support the American insurgents in the early stages of their Revolution.<\/p>\n

On August 8, 1775,<\/strong> the Marquis de Rufflec organized what became the famous “Diner de Metz”–<\/i>the actual event, the “meeting of the minds” which forever changed the destiny of the Thirteen Colonies–when the young Marquis de La Fayette, then-19 years old, was convinced by the guest of honour, the visiting\u00a0Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, brother of King George III, that the insurgents’ revolt in America, was in some degree justified.<\/p>\n

The following year,<\/strong> Louis XVI and his foreign minister, the comte de Vergennes, agreed to supply the American cause with arms and officers to possibly restore French influence in North America, after France’s losses in Canada. When La Fayette heard French officers were being sent to America, he did not hesitate. He chartered a ship with his own funds and was able to finally convince General Washington to take him in his Army… The rest is History…<\/p>\n

Indeed, in 1886,<\/strong> in honor of General de La Fayette, Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel created the Statue of Liberty… Inspired by Lady Liberty, 61 years later, French sculptor Fran\u00e7ois Cogn\u00e9 (1876-1952) designed the historic “Borne” of the Voie de la Libert\u00e9…<\/p>\n

Originally, the road marker was made of pink cement. Each “Borne” was 1.2 meter high (about 48 inches high) and weighed 435 kg (about 716 pounds each). Circling the top part of the “Borne” on a blue field, are the 48 stars of the American Flag (Hawaii and Alaska were admitted into the Union in 1959); and above each “Borne” is another symbolic design representing the red flaming torch of the Statue of of Liberty surging from the sea, the Atlantic Ocean, over which the American Armies came to Europe.<\/p>\n

The 4 red rectangles represent the four sections of the “Voie de la Libert\u00e9:”<\/p>\n

– Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise –\u00a0Cherbourg<\/p>\n

– Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise –\u00a0Avranches<\/p>\n

– Avranches –\u00a0Metz<\/p>\n

– Metz \u2013 Luxembourg \u2013\u00a0Bastogne<\/p>\n

Elisabeth Jenssen<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/address>\n

“LA VOIE DE LA LIBERTE<\/span>“<\/span><\/b>\u00a0 (The Liberty Road) was created by the French as a commemorative to the Allied Forces which liberated France after D-day.<\/b><\/p>\n

The Liberty Road starts in Normandy at Sainte-M\u00e8re-\u00c9glise and travels across Northern France to Bastogne in Belgium near the border with Luxembourg. It follows one of\u00a0 the routes taken by the Allieds,\u00a0 to be precise,\u00a0 the route taken\u00a0 by US General George S. Patton.\u00a0 All along the road, there is a stone marker or ‘Borne’ to mark every kilometer. The road is 1,145 kilometers long with the first “Borne” outside the town hall in Ste M\u00e8re-\u00c9glise and the last one in Bastogne.\u00a0 The Voie de la Libert\u00e9\u00a0 was conceived by Major Guy de la Vasselais as a Memorial to the Liberation and its grand opening took place\u00a0on 18 September 1947 at Fontainebleau. 1145 markers are positioned every kilometers some of the main\u00a0 towns and villages along the route are Sainte-M\u00e8re-\u00c9glise (liberated during the nights of 5 and 6 June 1944), Utah Beach, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Cherbourg, Carentan, Saint-L\u00f4 , Coutances, Avranches, Saint-Malo, Rennes, Angers, Le Mans, Chartres, \u00c9tampes, Fontainebleau (liberated on 23 August 1944), Reims, Valmy, Verdun, Nancy, Metz, Thionville, Luxembourg City, Arlon and finally Bastogne (liberated on 10 September 1944 \/ 2 January 1945).<\/p>\n

On 18 September 2007,<\/strong> to celebrate the 60th Anniversary and as a mark of respect and gratitude towards the American Nation and its soldiers fallen during the liberation of France, the Fontainebleau Military Reserve Cadre Association, ACRPF (Association des Cadres de Reserve du Pays de Fontainebleau)\u00a0 with the help of\u00a0 the town of Fontainebleau organized a Commemorative celebration.<\/p>\n

The highlights of the ceremony<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The ceremony was based on the one which had taken place 60 years before.<\/p>\n

The “Voie de la Libert\u00e9 Borne” is on a small podium at the bottom of the “Horse Shoe” step of the Chateau of Fontainebleau.<\/p>\n

The “Borne” has its own WWII US Military Police guard of honor as well as two young ladies dressed in the folkloric costumes of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine.<\/p>\n

The ceremony opened with the raising of the American and French flags by four young children.<\/p>\n

Reading of three texts read in 1947, one of which was the Declaration of General\u00a0 D. Eisenhower.<\/p>\n

Arrival of\u00a0 three WWII jeeps named Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise, Fontainebleau and Bastogne. In each jeep, a young boy and a girl held a small jar of earth from the three towns.<\/p>\n

a blue pot\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>in memory of the Ocean crossed and the town of Sainte-M\u00e8re-\u00c9glise,
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a white pot for the Royal town of Fontainebleau,<\/span><\/p>\n

a red pot\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>for the bloody battle of the Bastogne.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The children then poured the earth from the 3 pots into the Ammunition box.<\/p>\n

The US ambassador representative and the three mayors signed the official parchment marking the ceremony, then it was placed in the ammunition box which was lead sealed and a tricolor ribbon draped around it with the the seal of the town of Fontainebleau.
\n<\/span>
\nThe two youngest children deposited the ammunition box at the bottom of the “Borne”.<\/p>\n

The Alsacienne and the Lorraine ladies of 1947 (who were 15 at the time) joined hands with the six children and the\u00a0Alsacienne and the Lorraine ladies of 2007 to form the Memory chain. “<\/p>\n

We remember<\/strong>“.<\/p>\n


\nThe Lorraine costume (light blue dress) is the original one made in 1947 for the opening ceremony, and had been kept\u00a0 by the owner.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Speech from the officials and blessing of the “Borne and ammo box”<\/p>\n

– Minute of\u00a0 silence followed by the American and the French National anthems.<\/p>\n

– Loading of the “Borne” and ammunition box on an half-track, part of the Military vehicle\u00a0 convoy leaving the Chateau by the “porte d’honneur” to simulate the departure for the long trip to the USA.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/gia-vuc.com\/remember\/voiedelaliberte.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

Normandie<\/a><\/p>\n

Le d\u00e9barquement en 10 questions : que repr\u00e9sentent les bornes et la voie de la libert\u00e9 ?<\/h1>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n
\"Borne<\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n
Borne N\u00b0 0, install\u00e9e \u00e0 Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise<\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n

1 145 kilom\u00e8tres … 1 145 bornes entre Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise en Normandie et Bastogne, en Belgique. Ce sont autant de rep\u00e8res sur la Voie de la Libert\u00e9 pour mat\u00e9rialiser par chaque kilom\u00e8tre parcouru en 1944, la trace des soldats qui ont lib\u00e9r\u00e9 la France et le monde de la barbarie nazie.<\/b><\/p>\n

Par Erick Haas Publi\u00e9 le 08\/05\/2014 \u00e0 08:05 Mis \u00e0 jour le 14\/05\/2014 \u00e0 09:57<\/p>\n

Sur la place de la mairie de Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise, juste devant le monument aux morts, vous ne pouvez pas la manquer ! C’est la premi\u00e8re borne de la voie de la libert\u00e9 qui part de Normandie pour rejoindre la \u00a0Belgique et la ville de Bastogne.<\/p>\n

A l’origine de la voie de la Libert\u00e9<\/h2>\n

D\u00e8s juin\u00a01944, de retour d\u2019un voyage aux \u00c9tats-Unis, le colonel Guy de la Vasselais<\/strong>, ancien chef de la mission militaire fran\u00e7aise de liaison tactique aupr\u00e8s du XXe Corps de la 3\u00e8me Arm\u00e9e U.S, con\u00e7oit avec Gabriel Hocquard<\/strong>, le maire de Metz, de comm\u00e9morer la lib\u00e9ration de la France.<\/p>\n

Ils proposent de r\u00e9aliser une s\u00e9rie de bornes, sur le mod\u00e8le de celles qui jalonnent la Voie sacr\u00e9e<\/strong>\u00a0comm\u00e9morant la bataille de Verdun, durant la 1\u00e8re guerre mondiale.<\/p>\n

En 1946, le Comit\u00e9 National de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9 est cr\u00e9\u00e9\u00a0et la borne de la Libert\u00e9 N\u00b0 0 est inaugur\u00e9e le 16 septembre 1947 \u00e0 Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise.<\/p>\n

La symbolique des bornes de la libert\u00e9<\/h2>\n

Le mod\u00e8le de la borne est d\u00fb au sculpteur Fran\u00e7ois Cogn\u00e9<\/a>. \u00c0 l\u2019origine, c\u2019\u00e9tait une borne de ciment rose, haute de 1m20 et pesant environ 435 kg.<\/p>\n

Elle repr\u00e9sente une flamme, symbole de la libert\u00e9, sortant des flots de l\u2019oc\u00e9an Atlantique que les alli\u00e9s am\u00e9ricains ont travers\u00e9 pour lib\u00e9rer l\u2019Europe.<\/p>\n

Sa couronne de 48 \u00e9toiles repr\u00e9sente les 48 \u00e9tats des Etats-Unis\u00a0(en 1944).<\/p>\n

Les 4 rectangles de couleur rouge repr\u00e9sentent les 4 tron\u00e7ons de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9 :<\/p>\n

– Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise –\u00a0Cherbourg
\n– Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise –\u00a0Avranches
\n– Avranches –\u00a0Metz
\n– Metz – Luxembourg \u2013\u00a0Bastogne<\/p>\n

Au centre de la borne, on notera que le flambeau de la libert\u00e9 sortant de la mer prend pour mod\u00e8le celui de la statue de la Libert\u00e9, \u00e0 New-York. Sur la face blanche enfin, on trouve des indications diverses telles que kilom\u00e9trage, le num\u00e9ro de la borne et des informations de direction. Au total, 1200 bornes identiques \u00e0 celle de Sainte-M\u00e8re-Eglise jalonnent les diff\u00e9rents tron\u00e7ons de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Un symbole disput\u00e9<\/h2>\n

Si la commune de Sainte-M\u00e8re-\u00c9glise a pu servir de point de d\u00e9part \u00e0\u00a0la Voie de la Libert\u00e9, c’est gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 la d\u00e9termination de son maire de l’\u00e9poque, Alexandre Renaud.\u00a0<\/strong>Celui-ci aurait b\u00e9n\u00e9fici\u00e9 de ses bonnes relations avec Guy de la Vasselais\u00a0et obtenu ainsi cet honneur au grand d\u00e9pit des nombreuses autres villes normandes qui le revendiquaient (Carentan, Cherbourg, Bayeux, etc.).<\/p>\n

Cette d\u00e9cision a d’ailleurs donn\u00e9 lieu \u00e0 une d\u00e9marche contestataire de la municipalit\u00e9 de Sainte-Marie-du-Mont<\/strong> o\u00f9 se trouve\u00a0Utah Beach. Apr\u00e8s le choix de Sainte-M\u00e8re-\u00c9glise pour l\u2019installation de la borne 0, elle a r\u00e9pliqu\u00e9 en installant sa propre borne baptis\u00e9e N\u00b0 00, en bordure de la plage o\u00f9 a d\u00e9barqu\u00e9 la 3 \u00e8me Arm\u00e9e Am\u00e9ricaine du g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Patton, courant juillet 1944.<\/p>\n

Le choix de l’itin\u00e9raire<\/h2>\n

Guy de La Vasselais\u00a0et Gabriel Hocquart ont choisi un des itin\u00e9raires les plus glorieux de la reconqu\u00eate\u00a0alli\u00e9e : le parcours triomphal de la 3e Arm\u00e9e Am\u00e9ricaine du g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Patton<\/strong>, depuis son d\u00e9barquement sur la c\u00f4te normande, sa perc\u00e9e dans le Cotentin puis sa c\u00e9l\u00e8bre chevauch\u00e9e jusqu’en Moselle et la fronti\u00e8re allemande qu’il a atteint en 54 jours.<\/p>\n

Par la suite, en mars 1946, une association Belgo-am\u00e9ricaine\u00a0a propos\u00e9 aux Fran\u00e7ais de prolonger la voie de la Libert\u00e9 jusqu\u2019\u00e0 Bastogne<\/strong>, ce qui a \u00e9t\u00e9 accept\u00e9. Le 5 juillet 1947, on a proc\u00e9d\u00e9 \u00e0 la pose officielle de la borne cl\u00f4turant le parcours en Belgique.<\/p>\n

Quant \u00e0 l\u2019inauguration de l’itin\u00e9raire dans sa totalit\u00e9, elle a lieu le 18 septembre 1947, \u00e0 Fontainebleau.<\/p>\n

Les bornes aujourd’hui<\/h2>\n

Le long des grands axes routiers fran\u00e7ais, de tr\u00e8s nombreuses bornes d’origine ont \u00e9t\u00e9 remplac\u00e9es par des copies en mat\u00e9riaux l\u00e9gers, moins dangereuses en cas d’accident de la route.<\/p>\n

Il subsiste cependant quelques mod\u00e8les originaux, notamment \u00e0 Champillon dans la Marne, \u00e0 Frisange au grand-duch\u00e9 de Luxembourg, ainsi que toutes les bornes longeant la route nationale N4 en Belgique, depuis la fronti\u00e8re luxembourgeoise, au Rosenberg\u00a0et jusqu’\u00e0 Bastogne.<\/p>\n

Liens :<\/strong> http:\/\/france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr\/normandie\/2014\/04\/25\/le-debarquement-en-10-questions-que-sont-les-bornes-et-la-voie-de-la-liberte-465987.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr\/grand-est\/meuse\/souilly-55-tournage-d-un-documentaire-sur-les-generaux-pershing-et-patton-1091273.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.ouest-france.fr\/bretagne\/rennes-35000\/il-y-73-ans-rennes-etait-liberee-du-joug-nazi-5176559<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.sudinfo.be\/1921209\/article\/2017-08-28\/bastogne-rencontre-avec-les-scenaristes-d-hollywood-en-pleine-preparation-du-fil<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.ouest-france.fr\/pays-de-la-loire\/loire-atlantique\/le-comite-de-la-voie-de-la-liberte-ete-relance-5204733<\/a><\/p>\n

Gabriel Hocquard chez les Indiens<\/h1>\n
By Anne D.<\/a> On 4 juillet 2013<\/abbr><\/address>\n
\u00a0<\/address>\n
\"G.<\/address>\n

Parmi les derni\u00e8res acquisitions des BMM, une s\u00e9rie de 24 photographies noir et blanc m\u00e9rite une attention toute particuli\u00e8re : il s\u2019agit d\u2019un reportage photographique du voyage de Gabriel Hocquard, maire de Metz, aux \u00c9tats-Unis. Pour mieux saisir le symbole fort de ce p\u00e9riple, un peu d\u2019histoire :<\/p>\n

\"Gabriel<\/p>\n

Au sortir de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, les habitants de Metz sont infiniment reconnaissants envers leurs lib\u00e9rateurs \u00e0 la t\u00eate desquels se trouve le g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Walton H. Walker<\/a>. La lib\u00e9ration de Metz<\/a>, en novembre 1944, se solde par de lourdes pertes humaines de chaque c\u00f4t\u00e9 des bellig\u00e9rants.<\/p>\n

Gabriel Hocquard<\/a>, maire de Metz depuis 1938, avait d\u00fb quitter la cit\u00e9 le 14 juin 1940 sur ordre du pr\u00e9fet. Il y revient d\u00e8s novembre 1944, pour s\u2019atteler \u00e0 la t\u00e2che ardue de rendre son \u00e2me \u00e0 une ville alt\u00e9r\u00e9e par quatre ann\u00e9es d\u2019annexion autoritaire. Pour ce faire, il travaille assid\u00fbment au rayonnement de Metz et saisit toutes les occasions susceptibles de la faire conna\u00eetre. Dans cette optique, il effectue de nombreux d\u00e9placements au lendemain de la guerre et joue le r\u00f4le d\u2019un v\u00e9ritable ambassadeur de la cit\u00e9 messine.<\/p>\n

\"G.<\/p>\n

Invit\u00e9 par la Chambre de commerce de Dallas, Gabriel Hocquard prend son envol pour le Texas le 10 mars 1946, accompagn\u00e9 du commandant Guy de La Vasselais, ancien officier de liaison aupr\u00e8s du XXe corps am\u00e9ricain. Il y restera un mois, comme h\u00f4te privil\u00e9gi\u00e9 du g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Walker<\/a>. Cependant, selon ses propres paroles, il accepte cette invitation non seulement pour rendre la visite que lui fit le g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Walker, mais surtout pour \u00ab\u00a0exprimer la reconnaissance de la population lorraine au peuple du Texas qui lui rendit la libert\u00e9\u00a0\u00bb et entreprendre un v\u00e9ritable \u00ab\u00a0p\u00e8lerinage de reconnaissance\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

\"Arriv\u00e9e<\/p>\n

A son arriv\u00e9e \u00e0 Dallas, il est attendu par une diligence\u2026 et une v\u00e9ritable mise en sc\u00e8ne. En effet, d\u00e8s le 9 mars, le R\u00e9publicain lorrain<\/em> annonce : \u00ab\u00a0pour ajouter \u00e0 la couleur locale, le syndicat d\u2019initiative a engag\u00e9 des indiens et des cow-boys qui attaqueront la voiture en route. Le maire n\u2019est naturellement pas pr\u00e9venu\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Nomm\u00e9 citoyen d\u2019honneur de Dallas, Gabriel Hocquard remet au maire de la ville qui le re\u00e7oit des pr\u00e9sents protocolaires de prestige, parmi lesquels une canne \u00e0 pommeau d\u2019or ayant appartenu \u00e0 La Fayette (qui porta en son temps assistance aux insurg\u00e9s am\u00e9ricains) ainsi qu\u2019une urne en pierre de Jaumont contenant de la terre du plateau de Gravelotte, impr\u00e9gn\u00e9e du sang vers\u00e9 par les soldats fran\u00e7ais et am\u00e9ricains pour repousser les troupes allemandes hors de Moselle.<\/p>\n

Ce s\u00e9jour est aussi l\u2019occasion de d\u00e9corer une centaine d\u2019officiers et soldats du XXe corps am\u00e9ricain de la m\u00e9daille de Metz<\/a>. Il se rend \u00e9galement en Oklahoma dans une r\u00e9serve d\u2019indiens, o\u00f9 il re\u00e7oit le titre honorifique de \u00ab\u00a0chef indien honoraire\u00a0\u00bb. Cette visite marque profond\u00e9ment le magistrat messin.<\/p>\n

\u00c0 son retour en France, il d\u00e9cide la cr\u00e9ation d\u2019une \u00ab\u00a0Voie de la libert\u00e9\u00a0\u00bb<\/a>, symbole fort pour comm\u00e9morer la marche triomphale des Alli\u00e9s pour lib\u00e9rer la France.<\/p>\n

Pour en savoir plus<\/strong>, vous pouvez consulter \u00e0 la M\u00e9diath\u00e8que Verlaine (Pontiffroy) :
\n> Gabriel Hocquard : adjoint puis maire de Metz 1927-1947, M\u00e9moire de Maitrise : Universit\u00e9 de Nancy II : 1991<\/em>, par Anne-Marie RAO (cote : LO in -4 892)
\n> Les Maires de Metz<\/em>, par Thibaud de La Corbi\u00e8re (cote : USUEL LO 352.007 2 COR)<\/p>\n

Liens :<\/strong> http:\/\/missmediablog.fr\/gabriel-hocquard-chez-les-indiens\/<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/tout-metz.com\/la-fayette.php<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

La voie de la libert\u00e9 : l\u2019initiative d\u2019un habitant de la commune !<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

La voie de la Libert\u00e9 comm\u00e9more la lib\u00e9ration de la France pendant la 2de Guerre mondiale. Elle est mat\u00e9rialis\u00e9e par des bornes le long de la route de Ste-M\u00e8re-\u00c9glise en Normandie, \u00e0 Bastogne en belgique. Ces 1145 km retracent l\u2019itin\u00e9raire glorieux de la III\u00e8me arm\u00e9e am\u00e9ricaine du G\u00e9n\u00e9ral George Patton. Son chef de liaison tactique, Guy de LA VASSELAIS, co-fondateur de cette \u00ab voie patton \u00bb, habitait la commune et en fut maire. Ainsi, le 25 ao\u00fbt 1946, la commune de St-Symphorien inaugurait la 1\u00e8re borne de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9. Cette ann\u00e9e nous f\u00eatons les 70 ans du lancement de ce c\u00e9l\u00e8bre parcours le samedi 17 septembre (programme page 11). A l\u2019origine de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9 ? Un habitant de la commune ! Le Commandant Guy de la Vasselais, qui fut Maire du village de St-Symphorien, \u00e9tait le chef de liaison tactique de la III\u00e8me Arm\u00e9e du Gal George Patton qui a men\u00e9 la campagne de Lib\u00e9ration en Europe en 44-45. Tr\u00e8s peu de temps apr\u00e8s la fin de la guerre, Guy de la Vasselais et Gabriel Hocquard, alors Maire de Metz, con\u00e7oivent l\u2019id\u00e9e de comm\u00e9morer la Lib\u00e9ration. Ils proposent de r\u00e9aliser des bornes, sur le mod\u00e8le de celles de \u00ab la Voie sacr\u00e9e \u00bb comm\u00e9morant la Bataille de Verdun, durant la 1\u00e8re Guerre mondiale. Ils choisissent un des itin\u00e9raires les plus glorieux de la reconqu\u00eate alli\u00e9e : le parcours de la III\u00e8me Arm\u00e9e du G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Patton, depuis son d\u00e9barquement sur la c\u00f4te normande, jusqu\u2019\u00e0 la fronti\u00e8re allemande atteinte en 54 jours. Exploit militaire !<\/p>\n

Le 25 ao\u00fbt 1946 \u00e0 Essars (Saint-Symphorien), une borne provisoire est inaugur\u00e9e en pr\u00e9sence de hautes autorit\u00e9s politiques et militaires de France et des pays alli\u00e9s. Dans les mois qui suivent, bon nombre de villes et de villages vont suivre l\u2019exemple de Guy de la Vasselais, en inaugurant des bornes comm\u00e9moratives.<\/p>\n

Le 18 septembre 1947, l\u2019ensemble du parcours de \u00ab La Voie de la Libert\u00e9 \u00bb est consacr\u00e9 \u00e0 Fontainebleau.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Depuis, la reconnaissance envers ces personnages intimement li\u00e9s \u00e0\u00a0 la commune, a toujours \u00e9t\u00e9 pr\u00e9sente au travers de comm\u00e9morations et d\u2019inaugurations (cf page ci-contre) : la 1\u00e8re borne de la Voie sera remplac\u00e9e par un monument comm\u00e9moratif inaugur\u00e9 en 1971. A chaque anniversaire de la Lib\u00e9ration, la municipalit\u00e9 a organis\u00e9 de grandes c\u00e9r\u00e9monies. En 1996, elle a comm\u00e9mor\u00e9 le 50\u00e8me anniversaire de la 1\u00e8re borne avec une r\u00e9habilitation de la borne d\u2019origine. En 2010, deux jours comm\u00e9moratifs et festifs ont \u00e9t\u00e9 organis\u00e9s en hommage au Gal Patton, en pr\u00e9sence de certains de ses descendants. Un an plus tard, un monument p\u00e9dagogique d\u00e9di\u00e9e \u00e0 la III\u00e8me Arm\u00e9e voit le jour \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 du Monument Patton (Essars). Nous retrouvons d\u2019autres signes de m\u00e9moire : une rue et la salle des f\u00eates portent le nom du Gal Patton. N\u2019oublions pas la Rue Guy de la Vasselais, une des rues principales de St-Symphorien.<\/p>\n

La M\u00e9moire perdure avec la Journ\u00e9e du 17 septembre cette ann\u00e9e (cf. d\u00e9tails ci-contre), et l\u2019inauguration d\u2019un rond-point G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Walker, autre prestigieux commandant (XXe Corps) de la fantastique campagne du G\u00e9n\u00e9ral George S. Patton.<\/p>\n

Monument Patton et site d’hommage \u00e0 la III\u00e8me<\/sup> Arm\u00e9e U.S<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/h2>\n

Le Monument Patton et le site en l’honneur de la III\u00e8me<\/sup> Arm\u00e9e : Site comm\u00e9moratif et p\u00e9dagogique d\u00e9di\u00e9 \u00e0 la Victoire des Alli\u00e9s et la Lib\u00e9ration de la France mettant fin \u00e0 la 2de<\/sup> Guerre mondiale. Ce site est un territoire am\u00e9ricain !<\/strong> Vous y trouverez le Monument Patton sous les \u00e9tendards am\u00e9ricains et fran\u00e7ais, un monument sur la III\u00e8me<\/sup> Arm\u00e9e U.S du G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Patton, une borne restaur\u00e9e de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9 (Parcours initi\u00e9 par un habitant de la commune en 1946) et une st\u00e8le. Un site id\u00e9al pour expliquer aux plus jeunes le parcours des Am\u00e9ricains apr\u00e8s le d\u00e9barquement en Normandie… Pour s\u2019y rendre, RDV au hameau Essars<\/em>, le long de la N10, rue du G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Patton. Immanquable. La commune est pour ainsi dire le Berceau de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Le colonel Guy de la Vasselais, qui deviendra maire du village en 1945, \u00e9tait le chef de liaison tactique aupr\u00e8s de la 3\u00b0 arm\u00e9e Patton.<\/strong> Il a accompagn\u00e9 Patton tout au long de sa campagne de lib\u00e9ration en Europe. C\u2019est \u00e0 la lib\u00e9ration, qu’il a fond\u00e9 \u00ab\u00a0La Voie de la Libert\u00e9\u00a0\u00bb qui va de Saint L\u00f4, en Normandie, \u00e0 Bastogne (Belgique) et qui est jalonn\u00e9e tout son long de bornes kilom\u00e9triques \u00e0 l\u2019effigie de la Voie de la Libert\u00e9. La premi\u00e8re borne a \u00e9t\u00e9 inaugur\u00e9e \u00e0 Saint Symphorien en 1948, puis remplac\u00e9e par un monument rappelant ces \u00e9v\u00e9nements, qui a \u00e9t\u00e9 inaugur\u00e9 en 1971. Ce monument est situ\u00e9 en bordure de la nationale 10.<\/p>\n

A l\u2019occasion du 50\u00e8me<\/sup> anniversaire de\u00a0 la Voie de la Libert\u00e9” , en 1998, la premi\u00e8re borne a \u00e9t\u00e9 restaur\u00e9e et install\u00e9e \u00e0 l\u2019entr\u00e9e du village. Un buste de Patton a \u00e9t\u00e9 install\u00e9 et inaugur\u00e9 en 1961, en pr\u00e9sence de son fils, dans le jardin de la mairie. Une rue et la salle des f\u00eates porte le nom du G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Patton.<\/p>\n

Lien :<\/strong> http:\/\/www.ville-ab2s.fr\/fr\/pages\/histoire-patrimoine-67.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

G. Hocquard, G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Walton H. Walker et Commandant Guy de La Vasselais par Thomas K. Kone de Dallas, Texas – Coll. BMM\u00a0http:\/\/missmediablog.fr\/gabriel-hocquard-chez-les-indiens\/ \u00a0 \u00a0 Latest: OTD: September 18, 1947 – September 18, 2017   70 years ago today, the “Voie de la Libert\u00e9” (“Liberty Highway”) stretching from Cherbourg, France to Bastogne, Belgium, and made of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20764,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,6,4714,6928,5548,7,482,361,4833,42,62,4718,6734,5909,7705,260,4730,5579,159,8,7114,160,161,9,10,11,1493,4834,7056,6796,4720,165,5547,4806,767,6970,4900,6337,7230,5546,58,7912,14,226,6145,170,5766,15,16,631,5057,4562,6480,172,5622,59,5694,17,177,4697,20,6756,5360,227,56,22,180,4752,7319,237,4719,5314,4721,7057,7055,6332,7011,7241,1284,4723,7243,300,618,4722,4893,544,27,4805,8196,4710,7077,5833,190,5406,5621,4763,28,4731,5386,4764,5675,193,194,195],"tags":[8628,8886,2057,9054,1502,587,8369,1377,400,9057,9052,9055,387,9029,1386,9082,8672,9049,1831,9080,458,9103,5015,8763,459,9051,9058,9091,842,146,4979,426,8014,9086,9102,9064,9094,9097,9061,9063,9077,9095,736,9079,8773,8517,8724,1199],"class_list":["post-20741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","category-agriculture-and-crafts","category-airlines","category-animal-rights","category-arts","category-asia-pacific","category-automobile","category-aviation","category-banks","category-books","category-business","category-california","category-caribbean","category-childrens-rights","category-chocolate","category-cinema","category-civil-rights","category-climate-change","category-concerts","category-culture","category-dance","category-diplomatie","category-dom-tom","category-ecology","category-economy","category-education","category-electronics","category-employment","category-energy","category-engineering","category-environment","category-europe","category-exhibitions","category-exploration","category-fashion","category-finance","category-fishing","category-food","category-food-waste","category-francophony","category-french-american-relations","category-gardening","category-gastronomy","category-gay-rights","category-global-warming","category-hawaii","category-health","category-high-tech","category-history","category-hollywood","category-hotels","category-human-trafficking","category-human-tragedy-2","category-immigration","category-international-events","category-internet","category-journalism","category-justice","category-la-marine-nationale","category-latest-news","category-leadership","category-lgbtqa-2","category-litterature","category-made-in-france","category-mdfde-2","category-medicine-and-health","category-ministere-des-affaires-etrangeres","category-music","category-native-americans","category-nato","category-newspapers","category-photography","category-politics","category-port-structure","category-publishing","category-racism","category-railroads","category-restaurants","category-russia","category-safety","category-schools","category-sciences","category-sculpture","category-security","category-sexual-abuse","category-show-business","category-sightseeing","category-slavery","category-social-entrepreneurship","category-society","category-solar-energy","category-sustainability","category-television","category-terrorism","category-theater","category-tourism","category-tweets","category-ubuntu","category-weather","category-wildlife","category-wines","category-womens-rights","category-world-war-i","category-world-war-ii","tag-mdfdefriendshipmercitrain70","tag-alan-seeger","tag-alsace","tag-bastogne","tag-bretagne","tag-d-day","tag-drew-pearson","tag-elisabeth-jenssen","tag-england","tag-francois-cogne","tag-gabriel-hocquard","tag-general-walton-h-walker","tag-germany","tag-gov-earle-c-clements","tag-gustave-eiffel","tag-jefferson-caffery","tag-king-george-iii","tag-la-voie-de-la-liberte","tag-le-havre","tag-liberty-road","tag-lorraine","tag-louis-xv","tag-louis-xvi","tag-luvie-pearson","tag-luxembourg","tag-metz","tag-moselle","tag-mrs-george-patton","tag-nancy","tag-new-york","tag-normandy","tag-paris","tag-president-harry-s-truman","tag-president-vincent-auriol","tag-prince-william-henry-duke-of-gloucester-and-edinburgh","tag-rennes","tag-rouge","tag-saint-julien-de-vouvantes","tag-saint-lo","tag-saint-malo","tag-saint-symphorien-le-chateau","tag-soulvache","tag-texas","tag-the-voie-de-la-liberte","tag-the-40-8-society","tag-the-american-legion","tag-the-french-foreign-legion","tag-the-statue-of-liberty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20741"}],"version-history":[{"count":57,"href":"https:\/\/www.francaisdeletranger.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2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More:<\/strong> http:\/\/gia-vuc.com\/remember\/libertyroad.htm<\/a><\/p>\n