“There are still Germans, but there is no longer a Germany…” – Victory Day issue of the French newspaper Les Allobroges – a regional paper published in the city of Grenoble, France – May 9, 1945, two days after the surrender of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe (V-E Day – Victory in Europe Day). Rare.
Headline of the issue: “8 MAI, jour ‘V’ de la Victoire des peuples dans leur volonté d’en finir à tout jamais avec la guerre et l’oppression” – “May 8, V-Day – the victory of the peoples in their desire to put an end once and for all to war and oppression.”
The subheadline reads: “Le général de Gaulle proclame la victoire au peuple de France” – “General de Gaulle proclaims victory to the people of France.” The article notes that de Gaulle gave his speech at 3:00 PM and officially announced the victory, offering a heroic portrayal of the courage of the French fighters, the Allied forces, and the French people. Also published for the first time in this issue is the Allied High Command’s announcement: “Le Communiqué Spécial de la Victoire”, which declares the surrender of all German military forces in the field. The full text of the German act of surrender is presented.
At the center of the front page: photographs of Allied soldiers who gave their lives in the fight against Nazism, arranged to form the letter V, with the caption: “Regardless of race or nationality, they came from all the free nations of the world to destroy the two most monstrous manifestations of barbarism: Hitlerian racism and pan-German nationalism—from the Caucasus to Belgium, from Normandy to the Alps… All are worthy of victory…”. Additional reports include:
Dönitz (Hitler’s successor after his death), who issued the surrender order to the German forces; A description of the joyful atmosphere in Paris following the declaration; A photograph of massive crowds of French citizens taking to the streets across France, waving flags, singing, dancing, and more.
2 pages. Complete issue. 59 cm. Fold marks. Stains on front page. Good condition.
