A young Frenchman, Marcus Detrez, who donated hundreds of photos collected by his grandfather during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) to a Chinese museum, called for peace and justice at the start of his China tour in Harbin City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Thursday.
On Monday evening, Detrez handed over 618 historical photos collected by his grandfather, Roger-Pierre Laurens, at a ceremony held at the Chinese Embassy in France.
Many of these photos, taken between the 1930s and 1950s, document the Battle of Songhu in 1937. The Shanghai Songhu Memorial Hall for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has incorporated these historical photos into its permanent collection.
These images illustrate the atrocities committed by Japanese invaders against Chinese civilians and hold significant historical value for research on the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Following the donation ceremony, Detrez and his companions, Zhong Haosong from China and Bastien Ratat from France, began their tour of China, with the first stop on August 7 at the Exhibition Hall of Evidence of Crimes Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in Harbin.
The museum, spanning nearly 10,000 square meters, houses approximately 100,000 pieces of historical artifacts and records. Designed in the form of a black box, it documents the horrific atrocities committed by the infamous Unit 731, known for its germ warfare experiments.
"We've been seeing like scientists who were supposed to heal the world and they've been studying for years just to do criminal acts and kill people, which is extremely sad and disgusting," said Detrez after visiting the museum.
"All the Chinese individuals who were killed - without names, only numbers - should have enjoyed happy lives. Yet, they were ruthlessly deprived of that right. This is a crime against humanity," said Zhong.
At the end of their visit, Detrez and his companions left a message on the board, writing "Peace and Justice" in Chinese, English, and French.
"We come to China in pursuit of peace. China is a nation that leads in promoting peace," said Ratat.
Detrez will continue their China tour, with plans to visit Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai.
Young French donor of anti-Japanese war photos tours Harbin's Museum of Unit 731, praising China's peace efforts
