When Reims Cathedral Burned

Lecture by Art Historian Thomas W. Gaehtgens on June 3, 2019, about the bombardment during the First World War and the consequences for Franco-German relations No 142/2019 from May 22, 2019 On June 3, 2019, art historian Dr. h. c. Thomas W. Gaehtgens will give a lecture at Freie Universität Berlin on the bombardment in the First World War of the Gothic cathedral of Reims. A national cultural monument, Reims Cathedral is where the French kings were crowned. In 1914 it was hit by German artillery and set on fire. The roof of the building and the north tower collapsed, windows broke, and the facade was badly damaged. In his lecture, Professor Gaehtgens will describe the history of the bombardment as well as the subsequent international "media war" regarding its significance and the difficult Franco-German relations during the following years. The reconstruction of the cathedral took more than two decades.