Exceptional expression of trust and support, or call to resi - Lot 183

Exceptional expression of trust and support, or call to resistance, addressed by the prisoners of Oflag II B to Field Marshal PETAIN? [Collective]. Acte de Foi des Officiers, Sous-Officiers et Hommes de troupe de l'Oflag II B dedicated to Monsieur le Maréchal Pétain, chef de l'Etat Français. Offlag II B [Arnswalde (Choszczno, Poland)], August 15, 1942. Manuscript in-4° (31.7 x 23.8 cm) with 1 bl. f., title, 13 ff. and 8 full-page illustrations in gouache and wash. 1 f. bl. Paperback, cream cover with embossed initials of Philippe PETAIN, preserved in an inlaid wooden case opening in two flaps, featuring on the upper cover a Marshal's baton with a francisque decorated with 10 metal stars on its handle, set on the map of France with the coats of arms of its regions, dated "anno d[omi]ni MCMXLII", and, on the lower cover, "Oflag II B. 1942" in the center of 7 metal stars arranged in a circle [2 stars missing]. The cover is laminated to the bottom of the slipcase. Extraordinary tribute to the Marshal, called upon to straighten France and continue his work of National Revolution, inspired by the great moments of national history: Bouvines, Joan of Arc, Henri IV, Villars, Valmy, Verdun, in a glorification of "Travail-Famille-Patrie", on "this long national road of French unity, [...] the road to France." 7 illustrations are each mounted on a colored f., in a frame, with their text opposite adorned with a lettering and sometimes illumination. Some artists have signed: LAMBERT-NAUDIN, J. BAYARD, H. DULAC, LANOUX. From 1942 onwards, this famous officers' camp housed over 6,000 French prisoners. Life there was organized: a rich French and foreign library, courses in literature, law and philosophy (by Paul RICŒUR in particular), mathematics (by Jean KUNTZMANN), languages, drawing and painting, and so on. The Cercle Pétain, launched at the end of 1941, organized conferences, sent New Year greetings to the Marshal (to which he replied on February 10, 1943), celebrated his birthday on May 2, 1942, and organized a lottery in his name (August 25, 1942). Considering that resistance was being organized within the camp, couldn't this Act of Faith be seen as an appeal to the Marshal to resist the occupier, drawing inspiration from the moments of French history magnified by our manuscript? Whatever the case, this document, in its inlaid slipcase, is an exceptional vestige of the artistic production within the notorious Oflag B II.124 [/125] pl. on 108 ff. including 1 large fold-out map, 10 maps and plans and 20 fold-out pl. Rooted fawn calf [the atlas in half with small corners], long ornate spine, fawn morocco t.p. and g.p., double gilt fillet on covers, gilt roulette on edges, red speckled edges (period binding). The Atlas includes a very large general map of the Russian Empire, and numerous plates of botany, animals, idols, costumes, monuments, etc. Plate 1 of Volume II lacking; errata of Volume III partly stuck with the endpaper. Some freckling to the Atlas, some plates browned. Minor but not serious defects to the bindings of the 5 text volumes, some hinges brittle. The plates are well printed, a good copy in a contemporary binding.