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Origin and history

The monument of General Kléber, erected on the eponymous square in Strasbourg, honours Jean-Baptiste Kléber, hero of the revolutionary wars murdered in Cairo in 1800. His ashes, originally buried in Egypt and then transferred to If Castle, arrived in Strasbourg in 1818 by decision of Louis XVIII. After a visit to the cathedral, they were buried in 1838 in a central vault, topped by a bronze statue inaugurated in 1840, forty years after his death.

During the German annexation from 1870 to 1918, the monument remained intact, but the Nazis, during World War II, moved the remains and statue to Germanize the city. Released in 1945, Strasbourg restored the monument and its original name. Ranked in 1946 and downgraded in 1952, it remains a strong symbol, mixing Alsatian identity and French patriotism, at the heart of local commemorations and events.

The statue, by Philippe Grass, represents Kléber holding the letter of British Admiral Elphinstone, with a sphinx evoking Egypt. The mausoleum bears commemorative plaques of the battles of Heliopolis and Altekirchen, as well as a biography and epitaph. Today, the monument dominates Place Kléber, Strasbourg's central place, especially during the Christmas market with its iconic fir tree.

General Kléber, born in Strasbourg, marked history with his victories, like that of Heliopolis in 1800, before his assassination in Cairo. His body, embalmed by doctor Larrey, was hidden at If Castle until 1814. The transfer to Strasbourg in 1818 and the solemn burial in 1838 reflected the political tensions of the time, between republican memory and monarchical restoration. The monument, although downgraded in 1952, remains an active place of memory.

The successive movements of the ashes and statue illustrate the historical upheavals of Alsace, between German annexations and France. Under the Nazi occupation, the desire for Germanization led to the move of the monument, restored after 1945. Today, the high school, college and quay bearing its name perpetuate its legacy in Strasbourg, a city where its memory is deeply rooted.

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