A Look Back at the Awakening of Remembrance (1939–1945) organised by Clermont School of Business
Clermont School of Business organized a key event dedicated to the Awakening of Remembrance 1939–1945, bringing together students, faculty members, academic partners, and local stakeholders around a shared commitment: keeping alive the remembrance of the 18 Alumni of the École Supérieure de Commerce who “Died for France.” Combining a historical conference, an exhibition based on academic research, and an official ceremony in front of the memorial stele, the day brought together remembrance, education, and tribute.
A day structured around a conference, an exhibition, and an official tribute
This week, Clermont School of Business organised, in partnership with the Association of Retired Graduates of Clermont SB (a branch of Clermont SB Alumni), the Clermont SB Foundation and the University Clermont Auvergne, an event dedicated to the School’s history and the transmission of memory.
As part of this initiative, a conference by Aline Frysman, historian and professor at Université Clermont Auvergne, was held on the theme “Being Young in Clermont During the Second World War.” Through a presentation that was both rigorous and accessible, she provided valuable historical insight into the context in which young people of the time lived, caught between constraints, commitments, and decisive choices.
Research work serving the transmission of remembrance
This Awakening of Remembrance also took shape through the creation of a historical exhibition. The result of rigorous research carried out by a group of UCA / LCSH students as part of their final thesis project, the exhibition retraced the trajectories of these students involved in the 1939–1945 conflict, restoring a place and a face to those whose destinies were disrupted by the war.
Military archives, administrative documents, correspondence, biographical elements, and historical contextualization made it possible to reconstruct their journeys with precision.
An explanatory booklet enriched with audio testimonies
To extend the exhibition, an explanatory booklet was produced. Designed as both an educational and commemorative resource, it gathers the portraits of the 18 Alumni, presents a timeline situating their journeys within the historical context, and provides key reference points for deeper understanding.
The booklet also stands out for the integration of excerpts from audio testimonies, allowing voices, stories, and fragments of remembrance to be heard. This audio dimension adds a particular resonance to the initiative by creating a direct and meaningful connection between past and present.
At the origin of the project
As early as 2023, the Association of Retired Graduates of Clermont SB began research into a Second World War commemorative plaque listing 18 former students who died between 1939 and 1945. Following an initial review of the School’s internal archives, an in-depth research project was launched in 2024 in partnership with the Faculty of Arts, Culture and Human Sciences at the University of Clermont Auvergne.
Eight first-year Master’s students carried out historical research between September 2024 and March 2025, supervised by their lecturers and supported by Clermont School of Business, Clermont SB Alumni and the Clermont SB Foundation. Their work made it possible to retrace the lives of the 18 former students and led to the creation of an exhibition and a booklet, designed to ensure the transmission and preservation of this memory within the Clermont SB community.
A solemn moment at the heart of the School
An official commemorative ceremony, organised in Hall 1919, was a particularly moving occasion. Around the memorial stele dedicated to the 18 former students who “Died for France”, a solemn tribute was paid in the presence of civil and military authorities, representatives of the State and local authorities, as well as students, reservists, alumni and the families of the deceased.
Two speeches were delivered during the ceremony: Richard Soparnot, Director General, and Mathias Bernard, President of the University Clermont Auvergne.
The reading of the names engraved in stone, the presentation of their life stories, and a shared moment of silence were among the highlights that allowed everyone to fully grasp the human and historical significance of their commitment.
It is our responsibility to recall that 18 Alumni of the École Supérieure de Commerce ‘Died for France.’ Remembering is not only about looking back at the past; it is also about giving meaning to the present and passing on the values that unite us—commitment, responsibility, and freedom—built at the cost of immense sacrifices.
Did you know?
As a member of the UCA alliance, Clermont School of Business reaffirms through this initiative its commitment to the Awakening of Remembrance and its role as an engaged actor within its region and its history.
By combining academic research, an exhibition accessible to the community, and the creation of a lasting educational resource, the School places this initiative within a long-term perspective. It reminds us that a student’s education is not limited to academic skills: it is also rooted in a shared historical and collective awareness.
Through this Awakening of Remembrance, Clermont School of Business reaffirms its determination to pass on a shared history and to make it a source of reflection for the future.
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