Origins
In 1999, Philippe Richert and Jean-Pierre Masseret decided to establish the Alsace-Moselle Memorial in Schirmeck.
Located halfway between Strasbourg and Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, Schirmeck lies at the crossroads of the Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Moselle and Vosges departments. Schirmeck was the site of an internment camp opened by the Nazis in August 1940. The Memorial site is also directly opposite the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp Memorial. The close proximity of the two sites, along with the complementary nature of their visitor routes, makes the Memorial a must-see destination in Alsace.
Funded by the Alsace-Moselle Memorial Joint Association, the European Union, the French State, the Lorraine Region and the Moselle Departmental Council, the Memorial opened its doors to the public on 18 June 2005.
It was inaugurated on 3 November of the same year by Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic.
In 2017, the “Alsace-Moselle Memorial” became the “Alsace-Moselle Memorial – Paths of Europe”.
Governance
Le Mémorial Alsace-Moselle est géré par un syndicat mixte, établissement public de coopération locale regroupant plusieurs collectivités The Alsace-Moselle Memorial is managed by a joint association, a public local cooperation body bringing together several local authorities.
It is composed of:
- The Grand Est Region: institutional and financial support for initiatives related to remembrance and cultural tourism.
- The European Collectivity of Alsace (CEA), bringing together the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin departments: a financial and institutional partner supporting educational and cultural projects.
- The Community of Municipalities of the Bruche Valley: a local financial partner involved in the economic and tourism development of the area, notably through close cooperation with the Bruche Valley Tourist Office, which contributes to promoting the Memorial.
- The City of Schirmeck: a local financial partner. The reach and reputation of the Memorial allow the city to gain visibility and recognition, even at an international level.
Each local authority appoints representative delegates who sit on the joint committee three to four times a year. These partners have joined forces to jointly ensure the management, development and long-term sustainability of the Memorial.
The joint association is chaired by Alain Ferry, Mayor of the municipality of Wisches.
The Alsace-Moselle Memorial is directed by Sabine Robert Bierry.