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Origin and history

The House of the People of Nancy is a school-style building built in the early 20th century to replace an old house acquired by Charles Keller, a former commune and dreyfusard. The project was designed to provide a facility at the Popular University of Nancy, founded in 1899 for the education of Lorrain workers. The building, designed by architect Paul Charbonnier with the collaboration of Eugene Vallin and Victor Prouvé, was inaugurated in 1902. Its facade, decorated with an allegory of Victor Prouvé representing the alliance of Labour and Thought, and its interiors, including the intact preserved library, bear witness to its artistic and social heritage.

In 1907 Charles Keller made the premises available to the Federation of Trade Unions. After his death, his widow bequeathed them to the CGT in 1923, which made it its departmental seat. The building was the scene of the SFIO National Congress in August 1907, where figures such as Jaurès and Gesde debated ways of fighting war. In 1980, a police search took place in the context of the search for a pirate radio station, Lorraine heart steel, resulting in the arrest of nine union activists, finally released.

The House of the People was listed as historic monuments on 30 October 1989. It embodies both an architectural heritage of Art Nouveau and a landmark in French social and trade union history. Its artistic heritage, with major contributions by Eugene Vallin and Victor Prouvé, makes it a symbol of the School of Nancy, while remaining an active space for workers' movements.

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