Berlin – 28.05.2026: In a solemn ceremony at the French Embassy in Berlin, Germany handed over seven books to the family of the historian and resistance fighter Marc Bloch. The works had been stolen from Bloch’s private library by the Nazis in 1942. The return was facilitated by the municipal libraries of Berlin, Frankfurt, and Greiz and marks an important step in historical restitution and cultural exchange between Germany and France.
Marc Bloch, born in 1886 in Lyon, was one of the most recognized medievalists of his time and co-founder of the influential Annales School, which permanently shaped historical science. During World War II, Bloch was actively involved in the French resistance. In 1944, he was arrested by the Gestapo and shortly thereafter executed. His wife, Simonne Vidal, died soon after. The books were part of his extensive collection, which included both French and German works.
The return of the books takes place just weeks before the planned induction of Marc Bloch into the Paris Panthéon on June 23, 2026. There, his life’s work will be honored and his contribution to French history and culture highlighted. The handed-over books will be kept in the Halphen Library of the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, an institution specializing in medieval studies.
German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer described the return as a “significant acknowledgment of a historical injustice.” The French ambassador in Germany, François Delattre, emphasized the symbolic importance of the return as a sign of close Franco-German friendship.
This return is part of a comprehensive process of restitution of cultural assets stolen during the Nazi dictatorship in Europe. Historians and librarians from both countries are working intensively to identify looted, displaced, or lost works and to return them to their rightful owners or their descendants. It is estimated that during the war alone, five to ten million books were stolen in France.
Mathis Bloch, Marc Bloch’s grandson, was deeply moved by this gesture: “The return preserves my grandfather’s legacy and is a strong sign of European reconciliation and cooperation.” For the family, the return means not only the recovery of books but also a symbolic act of healing and remembrance of the suffering experienced during the war.
The reunification of these works with the Bloch family underscores the responsibility to confront the past and acknowledge historical injustices. It also highlights the importance of education, science, and culture as bridges between nations. The handover marks another milestone on the path to jointly preserving and protecting Europe’s cultural heritage.