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Origin and history

General Clarke's monument is a funeral tomb erected in 1823 in the Catholic cemetery of Neuwiller-lès-Saverne, the city of adoption of Marshal Henri-Jacques-Guillaume Clarke, where he died after a long illness. This monument, classified as historical monuments since 1948, is distinguished by its location in the officer square, alongside other generals or Barons of Empire such as General Dorsner.

Construction of the monument was delayed for five years due to financial difficulties. Directed by the architect Paul Thomas Bartholomew, then stationed at the Hôtel des Invalides, he was transported from Paris to Neuwiller-les-Saverne with the help of a 24 horsepower team. The Petersbach stone base supports a marble column of Carrara, a material particularly appreciated by the Marshal.

The base of the monument consists of four adorned faces: a bas-relief portrait of the Marshal, an epitaph of his titles, his coat of arms, and a tribute text written by his widow, his children and his friend Sir Simon Houghton Clarke. This monument illustrates the tribute paid to a high military dignitary of the Empire, while reflecting the aristocratic funeral practices of the time.

The Neuwiller-lès-Saverne cemetery, where Clarke lies, also houses other graves of military figures, such as that of General Dorsner, marked by a cannon pointing towards the Clarke monument. This unusual detail adds a symbolic dimension to the site, evoking rivalries or cross-commitments between Empire officers.

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