"The Liberation of Loches was not synonymous with the end of the War on a national level, or even a return to normal. The restrictions, controles, and rationing continued, the black market persisted. There was also the progressive return of prisonners and those who had survived the camps.
Municipal life was reorganised bit by bit. The old municipal council was dissolved. It was replaced by a municipal delegation made up of the great figures of the Resistance from Loches, like Raymond Mallet. The municipal elections of April-May 1945 saw the women of Loches voting for the first time. It was the Republican Union, led by Elie Rossignol, who prevailed. Many maquisards continued as combattants on the Atlantic coast or of course, on the Eastern Front.
The town of Loches received two prestigious visits in the spring of 1945 -- that of Marshal De Lattre de Tassigny on 8 March, and then that of General Leclerc some weeks later. They came to visit their troops resting in Loches before re-entering combat on the Atlantic coast. The passage through Loches of these two heroes, leaders of the Army of Liberation formed by General de Gaulle, made a great impression on the residents of Loches.
The year 1945 was also the time of judgements and cleansing. Arrested on 21 October 1944, Captain Lecoz was accused of 18 murders and assassinations. He was judged at Angers by the military tribunal in October 1945, condemned to death and shot on 14 May 1946. At the same time numerous residents of Loches accused of collaboration were taken prisonner. Some women, suspected of having helped or seduced Germans, were shaved and publically humiliated. About a hundred inhabitants of the Sud Touraine were also convicted by the Courts of Justice and the Civil Chambers, specially created to punish acts of collaboration."
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This poster is part of an exhibition in the Chancellerie on 'Loches in 1944' https://www.ville-loches.fr/expositions-article-3-10-56.html
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