Fort Saint-Jean, Quai du Port

The Memorial of the Deportations, located near Fort Saint-Jean in Marseille, was inaugurated in 1995 on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps. Its mission is to preserve the memory of the victims of Nazism by telling the story of the men, women, and children who were arrested and deported—among them Jews, members of the Resistance, hostages, and other political prisoners from Marseille and its region.

In 2012, the memorial—then called the Memorial of the Death Camps—was closed due to major works linked to the redevelopment of Fort Saint-Jean and the MuCEM, as well as to improve visitor access. It reopened in December 2019 under its new name, with a completely redesigned museum trail spread across three levels. This new layout places special emphasis on Marseille’s specific history during the Second World War.

The memorial recounts in detail the tragic events of 1943, marked by Nazi roundups in collaboration with the Vichy regime, the persecution of Jewish communities, the destruction of historic working-class neighborhoods, mass expulsions, and deportations.

The building that houses the memorial was not chosen by chance: it is a former bunker-lazaret built by the Germans between 1943 and 1944 as part of the “Mediterranean Wall,” a coastal defense line. Located at the northern end of the Old Port, it was probably used by the German Navy’s medical services.

Inside, a space for reflection welcomes visitors with 18 urns containing ashes and soil from several concentration and extermination camps, recalling the immense sacrifice of the deportees.

At the entrance, a symbolic work by sculptor Jean-Marc Bourry immediately draws attention: a pointed arrow representing the ever-present danger of barbarism. On either side, bronze pillars representing the 12 Tribes of Israel also evoke the destruction of humanity endured in the camps.

The memorial is a place of remembrance, freely accessible, open to all who wish to remember and better understand this dark page of history.

Another memorial not too far

Although often confused, the Mémorial des Déportations and the Mémorial de la Déportation, de l’Internement et de la Résistance are two distinct sites in Marseille, yet deeply connected by their shared mission of remembrance.

The Mémorial des Déportations, located beneath the Esplanade de la Tourette near Fort Saint-Jean, is a discreet underground sanctuary dedicated to the victims of Nazi deportations during World War II.

The Mémorial de la Déportation, de l’Internement et de la Résistance, situated in the Panier district close to Hotel-Dieu, expands this tribute by honoring all forms of resistance and civilian suffering under occupation.

Together, these two memorials form a complementary dialogue between places of silence and testimony, reminding visitors of Marseille’s role as both a port of exile and a city of resistance.