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Origin and history

The monument to the dead of Auchel, located in the department of Pas-de-Calais ( Hauts-de-France region), is a creation of the sculptor Félix-Alexandre Desruelles, retained in 1924 after a public competition. Inaugurated in 1928, he distinguished himself by his pacifist inspiration, rare for the time, and his anchoring in local mining culture. The monument has been listed as a historical monument since December 18, 2009, recognizing its artistic and memorial value.

The monument consists of two sculpted groups: Humanity in mourning (2.40 m x 2.65 m), representing a female figure in prayer in front of a dead soldier, and Peace in the black country (3.20 m x 0.90 m), illustrating a family of minors (father, mother and child in a galibot suit) under an apple tree, symbol of serenity found. These works interact with the local context, where mining structured daily life. The sculptures are located in a garden at the corner of Rue Jean-Jaurès and Boulevard de la Paix, in the heart of the city.

Close to the sculptures, a stele lists the names of Auchelian victims of the three major conflicts of the 20th century: World War I (including subsequent deaths due to injuries), World War II, and Indochina War. This expanded memorial choice reflects an inclusive desire to commemorate beyond the strict framework of 1914-18. The monument thus synthesizes Desruelles' reflections on war, combining collective pain and hope for a return to peace, embodied in the family life of minors.

Architecturally, the monument rests on a square pedestal topped by a female figure draped in a shroud, contemplating two dead soldiers at his feet. A reversed ionic capital, placed in an angle of the base, adds a symbolic dimension of rupture with the ancient order, evoking the chaos of war. This detail, combined with the realistic representation of the bodies, reinforces the pacifist message of the work. The property of the monument belongs to the commune of Auchel, highlighting its central role in local memory.

Desruelles' choice for this project is part of a broader artistic approach, where the artist seeks to transcend mere commemoration to question the human consequences of conflicts. In Auchel, a country marked by the mining industry and the sacrifices of warriors, the monument becomes a place of recollection but also of reflection on the resilience of working communities. Its recent inscription (2009) as a historical monument reflects the late recognition of these pacifist works, often overshadowed by more glorifying monuments.

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