The Memory of Honor (‘Mémoire de l’honneur’) project aims to safeguard the unique archives belonging to the Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor, and make them fully accessible to the public. These archives bear witness to the merits of two million people who have been awarded the highest French national distinctions over the centuries – the Legion of Honor, the Military Medal and the National Order of Merit. These documents have huge value for the descendants of the honorees and for genealogists.

They are also invaluable to historians interested in the evolution of French society as a whole as well as individual destinies. The pupils’ files from the Maisons d’Education of the Legion of Honor, which are also an integral part of the project, are likewise of great genealogical and historical interest.

Thanks to the Memory of Honor project, the Grand Chancery is working on a systematic inventory of its archives as well as their digitization which will enable online access and backup. Simultaneously, work will begin to fit out a building guaranteeing the best storage conditions for physical documents. For this large-scale project, the institution has mobilized both its scientific and technical teams, as well as leading a sustained campaign to seek financial and skills-based philanthropy