War Memorials in Sedan and Metz: The Evolution of War Memorialization in Eastern France

Between 1871 and 1945, in the course of three conflicts control of Eastern France passed between France and Germany four times. With changes in rule came changes in perspective on the different conflicts, particularly in terms of commemoration. The evolution of war memorials from the areas of Sedan and Metz between 1871 and 1939 can be seen to demonstrate the dramatic changes in attitudes towards war memorialization as a process in its own right. Three phases of memorialization are investigated: firstly, the initial period of commemoration following the Franco-Prussian War; secondly, the period of commemoration which began almost twenty years after this conflict; and finally, the period following the First World War.