Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve

The Jardin des Combattants de la Nueve sits tucked against the south side of the Hotel de Ville. For decades, this space served as a private garden for the city's officials, hidden away from the public eye. It only opened to visitors on weekends and holidays in 2015, transforming a restricted area into a memorial site. The name of the garden commemorates a specific unit of the French Second Armored Division during the Second World War. Known as La Nueve, or the Ninth Company, this group was composed largely of Spanish Republicans who had fled their home country following the victory of Franco. These men had already survived the Spanish Civil War before continuing their fight against fascism across Europe. When the Allied forces moved to liberate Paris in August 1944, the soldiers of La Nueve arrived at the Hotel de Ville before any other unit. They drove armored half-tracks decorated with names of Spanish Civil War battles, such as Teruel and Guadalajara, serving as a reminder of the conflict they had left behind. Despite their pivotal role in the liberation, their contribution remained largely unrecognized in official narratives for many years. Today, this garden serves as a dedicated space to honor their memory and their journey from exile to the heart of the French capital.