Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation de Besançon, labeled Musée de France, is located in the heart of the Citadel of Besançon, an emblematic place of the region. Closed in 2020 for a complete overhaul, it reopened its doors on September 8, 2023. This museum is distinguished by its mission of historical transmission, connected to contemporary issues, and by the richness of its collections, which make it a valuable tool for Besançon's research and cultural outreach.

Denise Lorach, born Denise Lévy in 1916 in Besançon, is the founder of the museum. During the Second World War, she was deported with her son to the Bergen-Belsen camp after a visit to Drancy. Released in 1945, she invested in the memory of the deportees. In 1964, shocked by the lack of representation of deportees in a commemorative exhibition, she offered Mayor Jean Minjoz to create a dedicated museum. The Association of Friends of the Museum was founded in 1967, and the museum finally opened in 1971.

The museum benefited from a major renovation between 2020 and 2023, with a budget of €5.4 million financed by various public actors. His permanent exhibition, organized in nine themes, explores key aspects of the Second World War, such as resistance, deportation and reconstruction. The museum also houses a unique collection of art works made in the Nazi camps, including those by Jean Daligault and Léon Delarbre.

In addition to the exhibitions, the museum offers a resource centre accessible by appointment, rich in archives, sound recordings and educational tools. This service is aimed at teachers and researchers, supporting in particular the preparation of the National Competition of Resistance and Deportation. Temporary exhibitions, such as Around the Table (2023-2024) and Suitcases! (2025), enrich the cultural offer of the museum.

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