France, Fourth Republic (1946-1958). - Lot 254

France, Fourth Republic (1946-1958). Souvenir historique de la ville de Tours, Petite table bureau de style Louis XV sur laquelle le Président de la République Vincent AURIOL signa le diplôme de remise de la croix de guerre 1939-1945 à la Ville de Tours lors de sa visite présidentielle le 7 mai 1949. The reverse of the drawer bottom is annotated in pencil "Sur cette table le 7 mai 1949 Le Président de la République Vincent Auriol a signé le parchemin remettant la croix de guerre à la Ville de Tours. History" (Wear and tear. Fairly good condition). 90 x 55 x 75 cm. History: The Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 was awarded to the city of Tours on August 14, 1948. Its citation to the order of the armed forces recalls that the city, which was bombarded in 1940 and 1943-1944, suffered many human and material losses. and material losses. During his presidential visit on May 7, 1949, French President Vincent Auriol presented the honorary insignia to Marcel Tribut, Mayor of Tours, at a major public ceremony. The military decoration, stapled to a cushion donated by the Indre-et-Loire branch of the Fédération Nationale des plus Grands Invalides, was then displayed at the town hall during the Grande semaine commerciale of 1949. Today, the set is preserved in the Tours municipal archives.