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The beginnings of the 20th century see it afforestation hill, because ND of the Guard is surrounded of career, that it was necessary to open during the development of the districts which are around. Career of the data base Our-Lady, career of the data base Tellene, career of the street Not with Clown, who will allow the connection, by the future way known as of " Crowned Wood ", the Vauban district and Roucas Blanc. These careers will be abandoned progressively.

Festivals very solemn were organized in June 1931 at the time of the crowning of the statue of ND of the guard, they attracted considerable crowd.

In 1941 the State yielded the top of the hill to the diocese of Marseilles, it was the end of a military presence which had lasted 416 years.

In 1942, November 12 at midday, the German troops occupy Marseilles.
Between 1942 and 1944 the Germans took again this military presence and they occupied the old barracks.

In 1943, January the 22 and 23, raid monster in Marseilles, with the of participation 12 000 font officers, gendarmes, guards mobile and G.M.R and of 5 000 German soldiers, is 17 000 men. 40 000 checks, 6 000 arrests, and the " permanent closure " of meadows of 1 000 bars and coffees.
The following day, Sunday January 24, at 6 o'clock in the morning, the district Northern of the Old man-Port, known as " the old workings ", is encircled by the font and the German army. 25 000 people, men, women, children, old men, are thus evacuated by trams and truck to the station of Arenc, 1 642 of them delivered to Gestapo. Of the Marseillais of origin or adventure paid of their life the demolition of the " old workings ".

In the following weeks, in February, the district will be systematically demolished by the dynamiters of the occupying army.
Thus 25 000 people lost their house and the poor treasures that they were due to it tight... An operation which the historian Pierre Guiral will describe as " more wild than the setting with bag of Marseilles by the troops of King d' Aragon ".

But Marseilles did not finish suffering. In prelude to the unloadings, May 27, 1944, Pentecost day before with 9h56, the howl of the sirens announces an alarm on Marseilles.
Sudden, with lO hours 50, emerging in the sky with 4 000 - 5 000 meters of altitude, seven waves of American bombers pour on the city, in less than ten minutes, more than 800 bombs from 250 to 500 kilos which caused deep damage in the center of the city, of the street of Rome at Beautiful-of-May. One will count 1 752 dead, 2 761 wounded, and more than 20 000 disaster victims; without counting more than 50 dead and several hundreds of wounded among the soldiers of the German army.
August 15, 1944, unloading combined on the coast of Provence.
August 21, the occupant makes jump all the harbour installations of Marseilles. 200 run ships, the destroyed transporter bridge.
The 23 in the morning, French troops, controlled by General of Montsabert , enter Marseilles.
The 25, it is there capture ND of the Guard .
The 28 ripens at 9 hours the General of Montsabert goes up to Our-Lady of the Guard, to this occasion it will say: " the catch of the basilica sounded the German capitulation in the city. I thank Our-Lady for the Guard for having allowed the 3rd Algerian division to come to deliver the town of Marseilles and to thus open the gate of reappearing France ".
August 29, while the bumblebee of ND of the Guard and all the bells of the city sound with any flight, the troops ravel on the quay of the Belgians. Marseilles is released !
Wednesday August 30, a mass of thanksgiving celebrated by the military father py chaplain, in the presence of Monseigneur Delay bishop of Marseilles and of the General of Montsabert, surrounded by many officers and soldiers. The Algerian Riflemen brought their mascot, a superb black sheep very enrubanné. Monseigneur Delay will say in his short speech: " It was appropriate that after this hard battle, the first pilgrims who meet in this temple that is to say soldiers ". Dice the following day the General makes gift with the basilica of his flag of car, a flag with the Algerian colors, having made the campaigns of Tunisia and Italy and bearing in many places of impacted balls.

In the Fifties, one will build a news sacristy, the lower esplanade and them parkings, the building which shelters there room of the exposures, the cafeteria and it store of the memories .
These new buildings they mask partially walls of the fort of François ler of which the greatest part was fortunately preserved.