Monument Marinette Menut

Clément CHENEVIER, Corentin ARNOULT & François ROULLAUD write...

This monument is situated on Marinette Menut square in Riom. It is a very austere rectangular stone with no colour.

Five naked people are shown. Their eyes are closed and they look very sad. They appear to be prisoners who have suffered some form of violence. There are three adults, a boy, hands tied, and a baby, asleep in the arms of one of the adults (it’s difficult to see if it’s a man or a woman). One of the men is on his knees, looking upwards, perhaps at his jailer. The cringing older man seems to be hurt.

Around the monument, a metal fence, 50 centimetres high, looks like barbed wires.

Below, there is a plaque to commemorate the bravery of all the resistance martyrs, asking us not to forget the horrors perpetrated during the Nazi occupation of France: “Aux martyres de la Résistance, pour perpétuer le souvenir des atrocités commises.”

There is a stone plaque on which is written: “Ici, terre des camps de la mort et cendres des martyres”, meaning: “Soil from the death camps and ash of the martyrs.”

There is a second stone plaque on which is written: “Les déportés, internés, résistants patriotes, survivants des camps et prisons, de la barbarie et du fascisme. N'oubliez pas notre serment et notre combat pour la liberté et la paix dans notre monde. Soyez maintenant les défenseurs de notre idéal. Plus jamais ça. En l'an 2001”, which means: “The deported, interned, patriotic resistance fighters, survivors of the camps and prisons, of barbarism and fascism. Do not forget our oath and our fight for freedom and peace in the world. Be now the upholders of our ideal. Never again. The year 2001.” The fact that the plaque was put on the monument in 2001 shows that the atrocities of the German Occupation were so terrible that they are felt even in the 21^st century.

On the other end of the street, there is another plaque, just on the right of the “Pharmacy des Puys”, which is the old pharmacy of the husband of Marinette Menut: “Marinette Menut, lieutenant pharmacien blessée au combat de Saint Just (Cantal) le 22 juin 1944, torturée et fusillée par la gestapo française et allemande sans avoir parlé à Clermont Ferrand le 19 juillet 1944 à l’âge de 30 ans.”

All these inscriptions commemorate the Résistance; the fighters wanted us to remember their struggle for the freedom of our Nation and for it to serve as an example. The monument is regularly decorated and inhabitants of Riom stand and meditate in front of it in accordance with the Résistance fighters’ wish.

The sculptor, Raoul Mabru (born 1882-1957) made eighteen other such commemorative monuments. He was from the Auvergne and specialized in commemorative monuments for WW1 and WW2. Some of his monuments are quite famous, notably the monument for the victims of the Gestapo in Royat. He did not just make patriotic sculptures.

Marinette Menut, née Anne-Mary Lafaye, was born in Laprugne on 16^th May 1914. After having studied medicine, she married a young chemist, Max Menut, who was mobilized in 1939, made a prisoner but who escaped. They created a chemist shop in Riom called “La Pharmacie Nouvelle.”

In 1941, Max Menut became a Résistance fighter and his wife agreed with this decision although she was pregnant. Marinette took part in the Résistance. She had to go undercover. After fierce battles in the Mont Mouchet, she was caught and brought to an infirmary from which she tried to escape. She failed and on 19^th July she was transferred to Clermont where she was atrociously tortured then shot, without having revealed to the Gestapo any information.

Interviews of local people on what they think of the monument in Marinette Menue Square:

Young man, walking past: “I have of course noticed this statue before, though, honestly, I’ve never really paid much attention to it. I do not like it particularly… The contrast between the black and white stones is ok. I respect what it stands for, this monument. I’m proud that our town has put up a memorial to such heroic Résistance fighters! I think the fact that it has been put up near a school is a great idea, it will remind the pupils about the war. It’s a shame though that it is in a carpark! It’s not very convenient to get to it, and it’s obviously impossible to meditate in silence in front of it!”

Fabienne, a middle-aged woman who goes frequently past the monument: “It’s really badly placed! They should put it somewhere where it can be seen properly. I mean, the triumphal arch is in a big square of Riom, everybody sees it, so why can’t we put this monument somewhere like that? This sculpture is beautiful because of the precision of the sculpture, it shows really well the emotions of the people. I prefer this sort of memorial to those patriotic statues because it denounces more the horror of the fighting. This statue shows the suffering of the Resistance fighters, it has more meaning, a stronger message. It reminds me of the memorial in Gentioux (in Creuse), do you know it? There’s a phrase on it: “Maudite soit la guerre!” (“War be damned!”) with the statue of a child. I prefer a message which condemns the suffering rather than one glorifying war, because, today, this monument is for all the victims of war in the world.”

A dialogue with God...

God: What’s the matter with these humans; they are always fighting each other! Having to send my angels to Earth every time these limited little creatures start quarrelling is becoming tedious!

Kneeling man: God, please don’t blame us! Look at me and my friends, we are French, good French patriots! We are fighting for the freedom of France, the beautiful country you have always treasured! Please help us, we need your help to get rid of the evil Nazis!

Standing man: Stop imploring God! If He existed, He would have prevented this war. He would punish all those who kill their fellow men… No, we are all alone. This world is bad, and we alone are to blame…

Kneeling man: Well, we’ve got nothing to lose. If He does exist, then maybe He will help us?

Standing man: Don’t be ridiculous, no one can help us. We can only help ourselves! Don’t be such a coward, get up and fight!

Kneeling man: Dear God, I’m sorry about my friend, he doesn’t believe in You.

God: I’m listening. You were telling me about the horrors and atrocities of the creatures you described as bloodthirsty monsters?

Kneeling man: Yes, the Gestapo are the Devil’s henchmen!

God: Hmm… Maybe the Germans aren’t as good as I thought they were. I’ll think about how to punish them.

Kneeling man: Thank You, oh God! You are a  generous God.

God: You’re welcome, My son.