Michael Servetus Monument in Annemasse
1908 Servetus sculpture on a large pedestal in Annemasse,
Haute Savoie, by Clotilde Roch. Removed on 1942 an re-erected
on 1960.
The 1903 Geneva monument was considered insufficient by the
members of the Comité du Monument Michel Servet. So,
they proposed to dedicate a new one to be located on the Palateu
de Champel, the place where Servetus was executed. However,
Geneva authorities did not give permission since the City
had already dedicated a monument to Servetus. In such circumstances,
the Comité decided to offer the sculpture to the town
of Annemasse, four miles southeast to the city of Geneva,
just accross the French border in Haute-Savoie. This event
created some animosity between both cities. The rectangular
pedestal contained one inscription on each side:
“The arrest of Servetus in Geneva, where he did
neither publish nor dogmatize, hence he was not subject
to its laws, has to be considered as a barbaric act and
an insult to the Right of Nations”. Voltaire...I beg
you, shorten please these deliberations. It is clear that
Calvin for his pleasure wishes to make me rot in this prison.
The lice eat me alive. My clothes are torn and I have nothing
for a change, nor shirt, only a worn out vest.”
Servetus, 1553
The monument of 1908 was removed by the French Vichy government
I 1941 and was rebuilt again in 1960. The newly erected monument
is an exact copy of the original one since the original moulds
were found. A new inscription was placed:
“Erected for the first time in 1908, given to
the Germans in 1942, this statue was reinstalled by public
subscription and dedicated again on the 4th of September,
1960”
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