Marc Bloch and Simonne Enter the Panthéon as Macron Warns of a 'Spirit of Defeat'

Overview

• The panthéonization occurred Tuesday night, June 23, 2026, when cenotaphs for Marc Bloch and his wife Simonne were carried into the Panthéon and placed in caveau XIII.
• President Emmanuel Macron used his address to invoke Bloch's L'Étrange Défaite and to denounce an enduring 'spirit of defeat' he said risks weakening republican values.
• The family refused a transfer of remains so the cenotaphs hold symbolic objects, letters and Bloch's 1941 'testament spirituel' while Marc Bloch's body remains buried in Bourg-d'Hem.
• Organisers staged tableaux, an animated portrait and musical readings by noted performers to highlight Bloch's intellectual legacy and his commitment to the Republic.
• The family's request to exclude far‑right participation shaped the guest list and turned the event into a political statement about who may claim Bloch's memory.