#Madeleineproject SEASON 1 (English)

I have been planning to tell that story for over two years. I’ll try to do so in the coming couple of days. #MadeleineprojectEN

When I moved into my new flat, there was a basement attached to it. The owner had no clue about the stuff inside. #MadeleineprojectEN

In the mailbox, there was an ad for a health mutual, where I learnt the lady’s name : Madeleine. #MadeleineprojectEN

She has no offsprings, so I ring her only relative, according to the owner : her godchild.#MadeleineprojectEN

Over the phone, he tells me that a company was contracted to empty the flat. They obviously did not finish the job.

His godmother’s belongings are of no interest to him. He says I can do anything I want with it.

I have a basement full of Madeleine’s stuff. Nobody wants any of it. I’m going to sort it all myself, hoping to learn more about her.

There’s a tiny brown leather strap inside. What could that be ? #MadeleineprojectEN

That’s how I got known to the practice :  https://www.etsy.com/fr/shop/TinyToothPendants?ref=l2-shopheader-name … #lasttweet

Note for later : basements have poor internet connections... #MadeleineprojectEN

Thanks for the enthusiastic feedback ! I’m sure Madeleine would be glad about that :) #MadeleineprojectEN

(RAPPEL / REMINDER : #MadeleineProject pour le français, or #MadeleineProjectEN in english)

I wonder if this mean that Madeleine has lived in Provence... #MadeleineProjectEN

Journalist finds in the cellar of her Parisian flat belongings of the previous tenant that'd be 100 yrs now. What she finds >> @Madeleine_EN

Holy shit, @Madeleine_EN devient internacheunol. #MadeleineProject

There is much more war-related stuff to tell. I’ll get back to it later #MadeleineprojectEN

Those diplomas hold one very precious information about Madeleine... #MadeleineprojectEN

We can actually listen to that song here :  http://www.deezer.com/track/232916 

I’m leaving you with another songtrack for this project :  https://youtu.be/TEIHIsIhx6o 

#update #MadeleineprojectEN Martial can’t be her brother. He was born two months before her, in january 1915 ! To be continued…

(Madeleine, I love ice skating too)

You travelled from July 9th to August 2nd (don't know the year), there's a detailed factsheet. You moved quite a lot #MadeleineprojectEN

By the way, her diplomas also tell us that her full name was “Madeleine, Julia, Jeanne, Georgette” #MadeleineprojectEN

Don’t you think grandmas all have the same handwriting ?

(I have to confess : I’m crap at gardening, Madeleine)

It’s filled with the small story in the big one. Or maybe with the big one in the small #MadeleineprojectEN. See you folks tomorrow !

Since Madeleine is now doing the #TT I just published a press review  http://lemadeleineproject.tumblr.com/ 

About that box with linen the “fell off the truck” - it is written “linen presents” on one side. Now this makes sense. #MadeleineprojectEN

In the box next to this one, there are small gloves and I think I have reached another step... #MadeleineprojectEN

There are still blank pages left at the end of this photo album… #MadeleineprojectEN

In 1935, in 1937, he sends postcards to the family : “good memories”, “dear friends”

first thought these bunches of letters were those of a dad to his daughter : “My little one” #MadeleineprojectEN

Then I picked a random postcard, dated october 11th, 1939, 21h30

“My little one”... #MadeleineprojectEN

“Don’t worry, my little darling, I don’t forget my beloved little wife” #MadeleineprojectEN

“And I will write her as much as I can.” #MadeleineprojectEN

“Because I know she would do that to me, I kiss her in her little neck” #MadeleineprojectEN

They exchange book tips with each other, Loulou talks about his “anti-butterfly nets” (?) #MadeleineprojectEN

“Autumn is settling in : the woods are wonderful, with leaves turning yellow and into gorgeous shades” #MadeleineprojectEN

“A pity to see this all under a state of siege”, writes Loulou (1939) #MadeleineprojectEN

Loulou says he has received all her letters : “please, my little one, keep writing me what you do over there, tell me about yourself”

“Tell me about yourself, about everything, let me live as close to you as possible, despite the distance” #MadeleineprojectEN

I understand she is in Provence, while he is posted in Paris. #MadeleineprojectEN

I understand she is in Provence, while he is posted in Paris. #MadeleineprojectEN

“You’re telling me, my little sweetheart, that you miss the time we’ve spent together during the holiday” #MadeleineprojectEN

“You shouldn’t miss any of that, but simply keep the good memories” #MadeleineprojectEN

“Let’s just regret we didn’t get more holidays to enjoy together” #MadeleineprojectEN

(Your Loulou sounded like a great guy, Madeleine) #MadeleineprojectEN

I first thought he was addressing a child, for calling you “my little Kiki” and soon “my little Ki”

“See you soon, my little sweetheart, I kiss you tenderly” - you are 24 years old, Madeleine #MadeleineprojectEN

Some of them are missing, am I wrong? #MadeleineprojectEN

She has received plenty of them between september 1939 and may 1940. #MadeleineprojectEN

Loulou blames the post for being so slow : “I guess we just have to get used to that pace” #MadeleineprojectEN

From May 15th, 1940 onwards, the mailings become scarce : one in july, one in september, one in march for her birthday #MadeleineprojectEN

In july 1940, Loulou tells Madeleine that “Jacques” (again) was taken prisoner in Germany and is in good health”

Loulou sends letters until 1943, it seems that he stays in Paris #MadeleineprojectEN

What happened to Loulou after 1943 ? And what happened between you and Loulou ? #MadeleineprojectEN

(although I don’t want to try this one on)

And, I must confess, there are also quite a bunch of ugly things in that basement.#MadeleineprojectEN

That’s the suitcase where I found Martial’s envelope, by the way.  https://twitter.com/Madeleine_EN/status/662265999798968321 …

Well, thanks to the precious help received from @Freddinette et @HerveMarchon, we are now sure to announce that : (...) #MadeleineprojectEN

Martial is not her brother, but her cousin ! #MadeleineprojecEN

Madeleine would have been an only child #MadeleineprojectEN

Raymonde, the tea set lady, seems to be her mom. #MadeleineprojectEN  https://twitter.com/Madeleine_EN/status/662279657946001408 …

It will be hard to go back in time : “Madeleine sends this 3 months old picture of her”, writes Raymonde at the back #MadeleineprojectEN

(Yup, I’ve spent quite some time with it) #MadeleineprojectEN

Now there is something I need to tell you at this point... #MadeleineprojectEN

Because I know you a little better now #MadeleineprojectEN

At the very bottom of it, I found a white envelope marked with a cross at the top left hand side #MadeleineprojectEN

The envelope was stuck. Sealed. #MadeleineprojectEN

I wasn’t sure about myself. Then I grabbed some rusty little scissors of yours from another box #MadeleineprojectEN

Slowly, I started cutting it off. For the first time, I actually felt I didn’t quite have the right to do that #MadeleineprojectEN

Inside, I found a notice whose edges were black. I had seen that name the day before, on a business card in his suitcase.

Loulou died “on november 23rd, 1943, at the age of 31.” #MadeleineprojectEN

I’m actually turning 31 today. #MadeleineprojectEN

Loulou had a law degree, says the notice in capital letters, right under his name. #MadeleineprojectEN

How did you die, Loulou ? I don’t know, but I’m feeling the greatest emotion so far in that basement #MadeleineprojectEN

The notice is sent from “Mr and Mrs *Loulou*, his Parents ; Ms Madeleine, his Fiancee” #MadeleineprojectEN

His last letter came on March 1st, 1943. What happened between March and November ? #MadeleineprojectEN

He doesn’t mention anything special, and signs with a kiss “to the little wife he loves more than anything” #MadeleineprojectEN

There is something else about this envelope, but it’s hard to explain :/ #MadeleineprojectEN

Ok so let me try. Loulou’s obituary notice was in that sealed envelope, together with another notice #MadeleineprojectEN

This one is dated from 1972, it’s your godmother’s obituary notice. #MadeleineprojectEN

And the envelope has the same size as your godmother’s obituary notice. #MadeleineprojectEN

Which means that, in 1972, you put Loulou’s notice inside (that’s why it is much smaller), and sealed the envelope. #MadeleineprojectEN

In 1972… Where did you keep Loulou’s obituary notice since 1943 ? #MadeleineprojectEN

Did it take you 30 years for you to finally store it ? #MadeleineprojectEN

Now, I understand the reason behind the numbering of all the letters you received from him. #MadeleineprojectEN  https://twitter.com/Madeleine_EN/status/662324886111694848 …

I just found a letter from Madeline to Loulou, which never reached its final destination

It is dated June 6th, 1940 at 17h #MadeleineprojectEN

“My dear, I shall start this letter with the most unpleasant, thus by telling you off, Sir.”

She says she has received a letter from a lady who reportingly saw “20 planes” flying above Loulou’s house #MadeleineprojectEN

“The machine guns were on”, she writes #MadeleineprojectEN

“Loulou watched them flying by” did she report. “Well ! That’s not nice from you” says Madeleine to Loulou #MadeleineprojectEN

“So I learn you’re there with your nose up to the sky, watching them flying by” #MadeleineprojectEN

“Look out the window if you really want to, but please, don’t stay outside.” #MadeleineprojectEN

It seems that Madeleine isn’t doing too well. “ I am weary of my life, I’m not doing anything nor reading anymore” #MadeleineprojectEN

“I need to react”, she says, not willing to give up the fight #MadeleineprojectEN

And further down, (I think) she mentions the first time they made love, I’ll keep it for us both #MadeleineprojectEN

Let me simply tell them about that sentence of yours : “it is as beautiful, as sweet” #MadeleineprojectEN

And that you finish with these words: “It’s comforting to love each other this way, especially at this point in time” #MadeleineprojectEN

I think I’ve been through everything I intended to see this week, in that basement #MadeleineprojectEN

There are a lot more things to explore : pictures, documents, letters from Loulou. I didn’t imagine any of that before #MadeleineprojectEN

And many questions left. What should I do with this all ? What would you have said about that ? #MadeleineprojectEN

I would like to know where you are buried, and how you had organized our flat #MadeleineprojectEN

There were plenty of seeds on the balcony when I moved in, it seems you fed the birds #MadeleineprojectEN

Ok so now let’s say that Season 1 is over for #MadeleineprojectEN

Something magical has happened, I feel I opened all these boxes in the right order #MadeleineprojectEN

Thank you so much for your reactions to my story and for all your theories no matter how weird they sound :) #MadeleineprojectEN

I get closer, open it in silence and there… : #MadeleineprojectEN  https://twitter.com/clarabdx/status/662608474468151296 …

And there ? To be continued… #MadeleineprojectEN If you want to be posted about a potential sequel to that story :  https://www.facebook.com/madeleineproject …