Project launch 1920 (≈ 1920)
Municipal deliberations to erect the monument.
octobre 1921
Selection of artists
Selection of artists octobre 1921 (≈ 1921)
Drouot and Bourgouin retained for design.
1923
Delivery of decorative elements
Delivery of decorative elements 1923 (≈ 1923)
Edgar Brandt supplies the golden crowns.
2018
Restoration and displacement
Restoration and displacement 2018 (≈ 2018)
Transferred to Cordeliers Park.
19 décembre 2022
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 19 décembre 2022 (≈ 2022)
Full protection of the monument.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The monument to the dead, in total, located Place du Souvenir Français, avenue Aristide Briand, on Parcel No. 342, appearing in the cadastre section AK, as delimited in red on the plan annexed to the decree: inscription by order of 19 December 2022
Key figures
Auguste Drouot - Architect
Designer of the monument with Bourgouin.
Eugène Bourgouin - Statuary
Sculptor of the main artistic elements.
Edgar Brandt - Ironworks
Supplier of gold crowns in 1923.
Origin and history
The monument to the dead of Salins-les-Bains, erected at the beginning of the twentieth century, commemorates the 200 combatants of the commune who died for France during the First World War. It is the result of a collaboration between Salins-les-Bains and the neighbouring municipality of Bracon, originally envisaged as a cantonal project. Its original location, the barbarine promenade near the station, was chosen for its visibility. The monument consists of a winged victory holding laurel crowns, overcoming two hairy in military outfits, rifles in hand. A central inscription, "Salins and Bracon, to their glorious dead," underscores its commemorative character.
In 1920, the municipal council launched the project, entrusted to the architect Auguste Drouot and the statuary Eugène Bourgouin, who proposed a model inspired by Egyptian art. The decorative elements, such as the golden palms and the bronze patina, were made by the Parisian ironmaker Edgar Brandt in 1923. The total cost is 45,000 francs. In 2018, the monument is moved and restored in Cordeliers Park, facing its original location, while the commemorative plaques are installed on the courtyard. Ranked a Historic Monument in December 2022, it remains a strong symbol of local memory.
The artistic choice, combining classicism (winged victory) and realism (poilus), reflects the memory trends of the post-war period. The collaboration between the two municipalities and the involvement of renowned artisans, such as Brandt, underline the importance attached to this project. The 2018 trip aims to better integrate into urban space while preserving its solemn dimension. Today, he embodies both the mourning and pride of the inhabitants for their fallen forefathers.
