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Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Joseph-des-Quatre-Routes finds its origins in a particular social context. After the law of the prefect Eugène Poubelle in 1884, which obliged the Parisian owners to supply garbage containers, the ragers, driven from the capital, settled massively in Asnières-sur-Seine in precarious habitats. This informal migration creates a spiritual and community need in this changing neighbourhood.

The Saint Joseph Chapel was built in 1910 according to the plans of architect Alfred Nasusky, near the crossroads of the Quatre-Routes de Colombes. It officially became a parish church on 7 May 1922, thus meeting the growing religious needs of this modest working population. Its expansion in 1934, led by Charles Venner for the work of the Cardinal's Buildings, reflects the demographic and urban expansion of the area.

A tragic event marked its history: on 23 May 1940, Father Jean Glatz, vicar of the parish since 1934, was killed in aid of a wounded man during the German offensive. Located on the threshold of the church, it is honored by a memorial. Its name is now perpetuated by a nearby rue de Bois-Colombes.

The church is home to a notable artistic heritage, including an axial glass window created in 1910 by Charles Lorin and Louis Piébourg, representing Saint Joseph. This work, listed in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage, illustrates the religious glass art of the time. The organ of the rostrum, originally built by Charles Mutin of the Cavaillé-Coll manufacture, also bears witness to the richness of liturgical furniture.

The building, located at 182 rue du Ménil, remains a symbol of the social and religious memory of Asnières-sur-Seine. Its history is linked to that of the marginalized people who shaped this neighborhood, as well as the involvement of local figures such as Abbé Glatz or Guy Lux, who animated the parish after the Second World War.

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