The chapel of Malodène, in the Lot, is decorated with a work dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Shoah, signed by the painter Miklos Bokor. Today this unique mural is prey to water infiltration which, in the long term, could destroy it. Faced with this danger Raphaël Daubet, former mayor of Martel where the chapel is located and today senator (Radical Party), decided to take the bulls by the horns by appealing to the public authorities in order to preserve not only this ancient sacred place but also of course the “a fresco” painting of this survivor of the Auschwitz extermination camp, who died in 2019.
The senator explained to our colleagues from La Dépêche du midi why the preservation of the Malodène mural had a highly symbolic and historical value in his eyes. “Public authorities, foundations and patrons must mobilize for a strong act which will consist of preserving a place of memory of the Shoah, unique in the Lot department,” he believes.
Also read: A Swedish artist uses ashes from the Shoah
The fresco of Miklos Bokor is already included in the supplementary inventory of Historic Monuments but it could be damaged by water infiltration resulting from the poor condition of the Malodène chapel, a place whose construction dates back to the 13th century . The building, sold as national property during the Revolution, was bought by the artist in 1997. It is the last vestige of the Maradénou priory which followed the rule of Saint-Augustin.
Some images of the Miklos Bokor fresco
The simplest solution to save this memorial fresco would have been for the Martel town hall to be able to buy the chapel. But she doesn’t have the means. For Raphaël Daubet, however, we must do everything to preserve it and the unique work dedicated to the memory of the Holocaust that it contains: “Faced with the surge of anti-Semitism which is tearing our country apart, faced with the terrifying return religious wars elsewhere in the world, the work of Miklos Bokor, more than ever, must become a symbol. Tangible proof that our historic land of Lot also bears forever, in its flesh, the fatal tattoo of the Shoah.”
All hope is not lost, however, since a collective led by the writer Charles Soubeyran, a figure in the region, has decided to tackle the problem. Raphaël Daubet will do everything to support their efforts with patrons and public authorities. And he already has a very specific idea in mind to help them convince their future interlocutors: “The chapel and its historical fresco must remain a sanctuary. But a room dedicated to Miklos Bokor could easily be created tomorrow in the Raymondie Museum, to project images of the incredible fresco it houses.”