Cédric Harrang

Stasi, un État contre son peuple

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, thousands of documents were hastily shredded by the dreaded GDR political police. 16,000 bags filled with six million pieces of paper were found. Thanks to the meticulous work of technology, the destinies of men and women who had been spied on and recorded without their knowledge could be reconstructed.

The True Face of the Gauls

The idea of the primitive Gauls, living in the forest until they were civilized and assimilated into the Roman Empire, is now being seen as totally obsolete. Archaeologists and historians uncover Gaulish settlements to reveal the true face of the Gauls. A civilisation with high level of craftsmanship, developed cities, culture and religion.

The True Face of the Gauls

The idea of the primitive Gauls, living in the forest until they were civilized and assimilated into the Roman Empire, is now being seen as totally obsolete. Archaeologists and historians uncover Gaulish settlements to reveal the true face of the Gauls. A civilisation with high level of craftsmanship, developed cities, culture and religion.

Hard Bargaining: Museums Face Claims for Return of Artefacts

Four French museums, the Louvre, the Quai Branly, the French National Library, and the Rouen Museum, are faced with pressing demands for the return of works of art. The number of demands is multiplying. They come from all over the world, and in particular from Egypt, Mali and New Zealand. The question of returning works of art to their countries of origin is increasingly making news. Take for example the emotions aroused by President Sarkozy’s decision, on the 12th November 2010, to return 297 royal manuscripts to South Korea. The ensuing row involved diametrically opposed points of view. Was it a violation of the principle of inalienability of France’s national collections or was it a just reparation for the victims of colonization? The rich countries’ great museums and the countries of origin have completely different visions of the issue. The museums defend the idea of a universal museum whose works belong to the whole of humanity.