Sigmaringen

Sigmaringen is a city located in the south of the Germany, on the the Danube in the Land of the Bade-Wurtemberg, previously the Hohenzollern, capital of the county of Sigmaringen.

It is mentioned in 1077 and is particularly famous for its perfectly preserved Château. This castle during the Second world war was used as seat with the government in exile of the mode of Vichy, to see low.

It is the birthplace of Ferdinand, king of Romania of 1914 to 1927. It is also the Faithful birthplace of Saint of Sigmaringen, capuchin and martyr (1577 - 1622).

to also see: Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

The French enclave

The September 7th 1944 fleeing the projection of the allied troops in France, whereas Germany is in flames and that the mode of Vichy does not exist any more, a one thousand of collaborator French are exiled in Sigmaringen to build an illusion of government there.

After having made expel the princely family of the castle, the French settled in his place and the visitors were even obliged to present an identity paper, since they penetrated in French territory. This “government of Sigmaringen” lasted until in April 1945.

The marshal Pétain, chief of the mode, which was expatriate of force, decides not to more make a decision to protest, being considered with his ministers as prisoners. A governmental commission, directed by Fernand de Brinon, is then proclaimed to replace it and hold an illusion of government (with flags, brass bands, radios, newspapers and stamps) until in April 1945. In spite of that, Jacques Doriot manages to replace there its rival Marcel Déat of the commission before finding death, grapeshot by an American plane a few weeks before the end of the “government of Sigmaringen”.

The Marshal Pétain, his continuation, and its ministers, though with of “burdens”, placed in the castle of Sigmaringen. All the others were placed in the Bären and the Löwen , the two town halls. The Bären accommodated the journalists little known or the small civils servant; the actor Robert Vigan and the writer Lucien Rebatet confined there. The hotel exists still today.

The Löwen, where placed the more prestigious guests, accommodated in particular celebrates it writer Céline who told the details later of them, with her manner, in its book best-seller Of a castle the other . It lengthily speaks brewery there about the Löwen where the French gave each other appointment to follow the projection of allied and to speak about the last improbable rumors on the imminent victory of Germany.

Food was mainly Stammgericht, kind of mashed potatoes of Rave S pulps which gave them the Diarrhée. On this subject, another fact describes on several pages by Céline: the apocalyptic description of single the Toilet of the hotel, always stopped, overflowing until in the corridor, running in the staircase, to which everyone was to make the tail to reach.

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