The Murals - Pierre Daum

Between 1942 and 1944, extraordinary murals were painted on the vaulted ceiling of one of the two hangars at the Bergerac munitions factory, where the Indochinese workers were housed.

Indochinese Workers at the Bergerac Gunpowder Factory: Murals 1

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—murals 2

Indochinese Workers at the Bergerac Gunpowder Factory: Murals 3

Indochinese Workers at the Bergerac Gunpowder Factory: Murals 4

Indochinese Workers at the Bergerac Gunpowder Factory: Murals 5

After the war, this hangar was converted into a cafeteria for the powder plant’s employees. A drop ceiling was installed, concealing the existence of these murals for several decades. In 1992, an article appeared in the Sud-Ouest newspaper, bringing these paintings to light for the first time.

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 6

Indochinese Workers at the Bergerac Gunpowder Factory: Murals 7

Indochinese Workers at the Bergerac Gunpowder Factory: Murals 8

During my research, I found the names and profiles of at least two of the artists who created these murals: DO Van Thuong (service number Zaq 822, 18th Company) and DONG Van Hiep (service number Ztw 517, 64th Company).

Indochinese Workers at the Bergerac Gunpowder Factory: Murals 9

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 12

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 10

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory, murals 13

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—murals 11

Today, the murals are in terrible condition.

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 14

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 15

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 16

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 17

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 18

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 19

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory: murals 20

Indochinese workers at the Bergerac gunpowder factory—frescoes 21

As for the hangar, it has been abandoned and is in danger of being demolished by Eurenco. A project supported by the DRAC and the city of Bergerac is under consideration to remove the murals and reinstall them, at least in part, in a secure location accessible to the public.