On August 14th, 1944, Paris was liberated following a six-day battle between the French Resistance and German forces. Until that point, the country was occupied by Nazi Germany, and the French pushback and subsequent liberation marked an important day in history.
Seventy years later in 2014, Parisian photographer Julien Knez decided to celebrate the battle for Paris with photography. He spent hours looking through old books and photographs to find images of Paris from history, and once he had enough, he began posing the images against the background of their modern selves. The resulting photographs are truly incredible, and you can see some of Knez’s work below.
President De Gaulle on the Champ Elysees, the Arc De Triomphe standing tall in the background.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Along the Champs Elysees in the 1940s.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Rue De Mail in the 1940s.
Julien Knez/Caters News
A scene in front of the Paris Opera House in the 1940s.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Pulling up the road in St Michel, Paris.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Notre Dame Cathedral.
Julien Knez/Caters News
The Eiffel Tower, then and now.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Another perspective on the famed Paris Opera House in the forties.
Julien Knez/Caters News
A tank outside of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Another shot of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Rue de Rivoli.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Soldiers outside the Hotel De Ville during the war.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Place de la Republique.
Julien Knez/Caters News
A burning car in St Michel in Paris, sometime in the early 1940s.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Children pose for the camera on Avenue Mozart.
Julien Knez/Caters News
President De Gaulle at the Hotel De Ville.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Place de la Concorde in the 1940s.
Julien Knez/Caters News
A couple having an intimate moment in Tuilleries, Paris.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Soldiers outside the Louvre.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Surrendering soldiers in the Rue de Castiglione.
Julien Knez/Caters News
Place de la Concorde in the 1940s.
Julien Knez/Caters News
And finally, another thoughtful scene from the Place de la Concorde.
Julien Knez/Caters News
It’s amazing to think how much things have changed, isn’t it?
Source:
Design Your Trust
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