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Origin and history

The Donnac Memorial to the Dead is a tribute to the victims of the First World War in front of the town hall and schools. It takes the form of an altar table with a bronze statue entitled The dying soldier. Made in 1920, it embodies the collective memory of local sacrifices during the conflict.

The statue was carved by Jules Déchin, an artist whose work marks several memorials of the time. Founded by the Durenne workshops, it illustrates the sober and symbolic style of post-Great War tributes. The monument, which has been fully protected since 2014, belongs to the municipality and remains a central gathering place.

Donnac, like many French villages, saw his monument to the dead become a symbol of mourning and resilience. These buildings, often placed near public places (maries, churches, schools), reminded daily of the human cost of war. Their presence also reinforced community cohesion around a shared history, while honouring the disappeared.

Ranked among the Historical Monuments by order of 21 October 2014, this monument reflects the importance attached to the preservation of local memory. Its precise location, although noted as mediocre (level 5/10), remains anchored in the village, at the 17 Le Bourg, confirming its role in the urban and memorial landscape of Donnac.

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