Bidspirit auction | “The Arc de Triomphe stands,

“The Arc de Triomphe stands, the Louvre stands, Notre-Dame stands... it is you who saved all this. Be proud of it!...”. From the radio broadcasts of George Delmar at the end of the Second World War - France, 1945 - First edition - Voici les libres propos de George Delamare. Radiodiffusion française. Chaîne parisienne - These are the complete words of George Delmar. French radio broadcasts. Paris channel. Published by Les Ordres de Chevalerie. France, 1945 - First edition. Rare. A transcript of a broadcast delivered by the French radio announcer George Delmar at the end of the Second World War, following the liberation of Paris. In his remarks, Delmar calls on the citizens of France to return to authentic French culture and to look toward the future despite the setback France experienced during the war years. He speaks of recovery through a return to work, warns against the atomic bomb, and suggests not dwelling on the atrocities of the Second World War but rather on psychological healing. He expresses regret that France did not manage to join the United States at an earlier stage of the war, and shame over its support for Nazi Germany, yet qualifies this by saying that France had been convinced that Nazi Germany would win the war and therefore its leaders entered into an alliance with it. He also expresses a certain satisfaction that, as a result of this alliance with the Germans, France itself remained intact: “Survey the capitals of Europe and count those that remained intact after four years of German occupation!... The Arc de Triomphe stands, the Louvre stands, Notre-Dame stands, the Vendôme Column stands. It is you who saved all this. Be proud of it!...”. Looking ahead to the coming years, he encourages the French people to reclaim their place in the world and not to sink into an unceasing preoccupation with the past. Georges Delamare is a fascinating yet controversial figure in the history of French radio, particularly in relation to the period of the Second World War and the liberation of Paris. During the Nazi occupation of France, Delamare was one of the most well-known announcers on Radio Paris. This station was under direct German control and served as a central propaganda tool for the Nazis and the Vichy regime. He was identified with the authoritative and professional tone of the station, which made him, in the eyes of the French public (and the Resistance), a prominent collaborator. The most dramatic event in his career occurred on August 15, 1944. While Allied forces were approaching Paris, Delamare made a sudden “turn”: during a live broadcast, he stopped reading pro-German propaganda and began playing “La Marseillaise” (the French national anthem) and calls for liberation, declaring on air: “This is Radio Paris liberated!”, even before the city was officially freed. His act was not welcomed by all sides: the Germans were enraged by the betrayal and immediately cut the broadcast. The French Resistance viewed him as an opportunist trying to save himself at the last moment; they did not forgive his years of broadcasting messages in support of the Nazis. For some listeners in besieged Paris, it was a moment of immense hope, yet despite this, Delamare remained a tainted figure. Unlike other media figures who collaborated with the Nazis (such as Paul Ferdonnet or Jean Hérold-Paquis, who were executed or imprisoned), Delamare managed to avoid the harshest fate. Nevertheless, his career in state radio came to an end, and he was pushed to the margins of the media world. Rare. Only one copy recorded in the WorldCat global library catalog. 31 [1] pages. Good condition.