Emmanuel Macron brings Maurice Genevoix and "ordinary heroes" of 14 into the Pantheon
Maurice Genevoix's coffin arrives in front of the Pantheon on November 11, 2020. Christian Hartmann, Pool via AP
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The writer Maurice Genevoix entered the Pantheon on Wednesday November 11 with “all those of 14”, these “ordinary heroes” who fought during the First World War, and who symbolize “French courage”, according to Emmanuel Macron.
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"
They are there, those of 14
", who "
arrive by the millions to enter under the dome
" of the Pantheon, "
the temple of the heroes of our Fatherland
", declared the Head of State during a moving ceremony which was held on the day of the commemoration of the Armistice of November 11, 1918.
This “
procession of the brave
” combatants is represented by Maurice Genevoix who, in
Those of 14
, his 1,000-page collection on the war, offered them “
the immortality of words
” and gave them “
names, faces, accents
”.
"
With Maurice Genevoix, enters the Pantheon a republican destiny, a French existence
", summarized Emmanuel Macron.
76th personality to enter the Panthéon
Covered with the tricolor flag and carried by the Republican Guard,
the coffin of the author who died in 1980
joined in the Pantheon those of the 70 men and 5 women who are buried there.
[Report] Maurice Genevoix enters the Panthéon
Valerie Gas
In his speech, Emmanuel Macron quoted Jean Jaurès, according to which "
the glories of the past are only alive for living countries
".
“
From
those of 14 to those of today.
We French are alive and well,
”said the president, speaking in the difficult context of the Covid-19 epidemic and the recent jihadist attacks.
The end of the centenary cycle of the Great War
In his work, Maurice Genevoix has witnessed “
the history of women and men animated by the courage of those who know why they are fighting.
French courage,
”he added.
“
The very one who allowed us to build, with our Europe, the peace we owed them.
Not a peace made up of cowardice and renunciation, but that of constant dialogue, respectful of our histories, our differences, our values
”.
This ceremony closes the long cycle of the centenary of the Great War, the highlight of which was the week-long “roaming” that led Emmanuel Macron in 2018 to the sites of the major battles in the east and north of the country.
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France
Emmanuel Macron
First World War