THE PAX PRISON — A HIGHLY SYMBOLIC PLACE OF THE RESISTANCE
At the end of December 1942, Italian soldiers occupied Annemasse. They requisitioned a hosiery factory located at 21 Avenue de la Gare and used the basement to imprison political opponents.

But in September 1943, the Italians left and German occupation troops took their place. Soldiers from the “SS Polizei Regiment Todt” set up headquarters at the Hôtel Pax, while the hosiery factory just across the street was converted into a prison.

It became the main prison of the department during the Second World War, with hundreds of people detained there. The prison register lists 736 names, though not all prisoners were recorded. Among them were members of the Resistance and Jewish people — including 39 children.

Some of the prisoners were murdered, others released, but most were transferred to the Montluc Prison before being deported to concentration and extermination camps.

Such was the fate of Mila Racine (Born in Moscow and arrived in Paris with her family in 1926), a young member of the Resistance who saved many Jewish children by helping them cross the Swiss border illegally. Arrested on October 22, 1943, she was imprisoned in the Pax Prison and later deported to the Mauthausen camp, where she died under Allied bombings just a few days before the liberation of the camps.

After Mila Racine’s arrest, Marianne Cohn took over her mission. This young resistant also saved many Jewish children, but she was arrested on June 1 together with a group of children.

The mayor, Jean Deffaugt, managed to secure the release of the youngest ones and offered to help Marianne escape. She refused, fearing reprisals against the children. Tortured, she never spoke, and she was murdered at Ville-la-Grand on July 8, 1944, along with five other prisoners.

FROM THE PAX PRISON TO THE HOUSE OF MEMORIES — A PLACE OF COLLECTIVE REMEMBRANCE
The symbolic transformation of the former Pax Prison into the House of Memories breathes new life into a site steeped in history — a witness to the darkest hours of the region during the Second World War and to the heroic acts of the Resistance.

This redesigned institution will serve to gather and transmit the heritage of Annemasse, ensuring that the memory of those times continues to live on.

A MODERN AND INTERACTIVE MEMORIAL EXPERIENCE
The House of Memories features a 120 m² interpretation center, completely reimagined to offer an immersive and educational experience.

The building’s exterior façade, the only remaining original element, has been carefully restored to its historical appearance, including the reconstruction of the first-floor balcony.

A museum itinerary, supported by modern and interactive scenography, makes the history of the site during the Second World War accessible to all visitors.

Sources:

Annemasse’s official website: https://www.annemasse.fr/

David Bowie Street appeared in Paris, which was opened on the 77th birthday of the great musician and artist.

PAX MUNDI /Together We Stand/ Exhibition 2022

Exhibition booklet

PAX MUNDI

“Together We Stand” is both the title and underlining concept of an international exhibition uniting artists from different countries in this global time of crisis. It brings together the works of:

• Vlad Yurashko and Vika Shumskaya, Ukrainian artists living in Slovakia;
• Yelena Lewis, a Russian-British artist living in France;
• Karha Nizharadze, a Georgian artist living in Switzerland;
• Sergey Sergeev, a Russian artist living in France.

As the world is torn apart by unjust wars, breeding pain and hatred, it is the duty of every artist who stands for peace to help repair and mend our society by promoting compassion, common sense and forgiveness. Art has a particularly important role to play as a manifestation of human spirituality and development.

The multinational artists showcased in this exhibition stand together in rejection of tyranny and the political games designed to separate creative minds. They speak for peace, love and compassion. They use art to better comprehend and explain the current situation, to mirror and document both human pain and hope.

Presentation of Olga Osterberg’s book “D137” in Social Club on May 27, 2018
Added on 05/27/2018 Olga
Presentation of the book – catalog “D137” by Olga Osterberg
Host and DJ: Artemy Troitsky
Social Club, Rubinshteina, 40/11
May 27, 19:00

On May 27, the day of our city, the Social Club will host a presentation of the book-catalog “D137” by Olga Osterberg, director and founder of the legendary St. Petersburg gallery of contemporary art D137.
Editions that include an overview of the gallery’s events from 1996 to 2018, as well as stories about artists, musicians and interesting people who were its guests.
The host of the evening is a well-known journalist and music critic Artemy Troitsky.
In a programme:

welcome
video story about Art Club D137
recording of an interview with artist Vladislav Mamyshev-Monroe and
“Pirate TV” with his participation
recording of an interview with Georgy Guryanov, artist and
musician of the KINO group
DJ set by Artemy Troitsky – favorite music of Art Club D137
Guests of the evening: friends, fans and associates of the Art Club,
artists, musicians, poets and writers, journalists, art critics,
collectors and art lovers.
Free admission.
Information support: the program “Cultural Evolution”,
TV channel “Saint Petersburg”.
st. Rubinstein, 40/11 925 4342 www.socialclub.rest

Download the electronic version of the book:

http://www.d137.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Osterberg_book_D137.pdf

Russian Art Galleries after 1990. History and Outlook. 
Fasanenstr. 37 – 10719 Berlin
26. April 2018

Participants:
Olga Osterberg, gallerist, Saint Petersburg, Kristina Tarnarutskaya, “Frida beauty&art atelier” art space, Volgograd, and Anna Matveeva, art-critic, Berlin
Presenter: Hannelore Fobo, curator, Berlin
Languages: Russian / English