the Resistance gendarmes in Ain exhibition

At the Chateau of Voltaire, discover an exhibition presenting the history of the Ain département during the Second World War, from the little-known angle of the impact of the Occupation on the daily lives of the département's gendarmes and their major involvement in the resistance actions of the Ain Maquis.

It pays tribute to the soldiers of the Ain gendarmerie company who made " the impossible choice " during the Second World War: that of honour rather than shame. It reveals the complex impact of the Occupation on the department's gendarmes and attempts to explain why, in this oppressive context, some chose to resist, despite the danger. This question is at the heart of the exhibition, which explores both the forced submission of the Gendarmerie to the Vichy regime and the emergence of anonymous heroes, ready to do anything to defend their fellow citizens.

One of the major ambitions of this exhibition is to invite visitors to reflect on profoundly human themes, such as loyalty and obedience. When these two notions, so often associated with the role of the Gendarmerie, are put to the test by the torments of war and the demands of the occupying forces, what remains of honour? Through poignant testimonies and biographies of Resistance gendarmes, the exhibition shows that some chose honour at the cost of their lives.

The scenography of the exhibition moves between historical objects and educational aids, allowing visitors to plunge into thetormented world of the Gendarmerie during the dark hours of the Occupation. Portraits of gendarmes who took part in resistance actions dot the exhibition route, giving a human face to this often little-known part of the fight against Nazism.