Lyon commemorates 82nd anniversary of Montluc Prison liberation

Lyon held a ceremony on August 24 to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the liberation of Montluc Prison. Regional Prefect Étienne Guyot participated in the event, which honored the thousands of men and women imprisoned there during the German Occupation.

Between February 1943 and August 1944, the military prison served as a major transit point for resistance fighters, Jewish people, and political opponents before their deportation to Nazi camps. Historical records indicate between 8,000 and 11,000 people were held at the site, including Resistance symbol Jean Moulin and the 44 children from the Izieu colony.

The prison was liberated on August 24, 1944, as German forces were pushed back. While German commanders initially intended to keep prisoners confined, detainees exited their cells themselves. The site now serves as a memorial dedicated to education and remembrance.