La Côte-Saint-André war memorial, War memorial in La Côte-Saint-André, France.
La Côte-Saint-André war memorial is an eight-metre obelisk of hard Comblanchien stone, topped by a bronze Gallic rooster. A life-size stone soldier throwing a grenade stands on a projecting pedestal, and a low relief shows a peasant woman working behind her plough. The base lists 128 names of soldiers born in the town who died in the two world wars and the Indochina and Algeria conflicts.
The memorial was created in 1922 by sculptor Alexandre Maspoli to honor citizens from the region who died in World War I. It emerged during the postwar period when France built monuments to remember its losses.
The monument's design carries a message: "L'héroïsme et le travail pour la victoire", pairing the soldier with a peasant woman working her plough, since farm work fell to women while men fought. The rear face bears an ornamental shield with the dates 1914-1918, and the pyramid's sides list famous battles of the First World War.
The memorial sits on Place Saint-André in the town center and is freely accessible at any time. Visitors can read the inscribed names to understand the military history of the area.
The memorial holds official designation as a 'monument historique inscrit', recognizing its artistic design and careful documentation. This status reflects how the work preserves the local memory of the war.
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