A bronze equestrian statue of Marshal Ferdinand Foch, honoured as Marshal of three nations – France, Great Britain and Poland – stands on the Place du Trocadéro in Paris. The idea of erecting a monument to commemorate this commander was first proposed in 1937. Although by then Foch was already celebrated as a national hero of France and a symbol of victory in the First World War, he had not yet been accorded any personal commemoration in the French capital. The initiative came from General Weygand and was supported by a committee of military men, politicians and intellectuals, including Admiral Lacaze and General Lhopital. The project was financed through a national subscription, reflecting the breadth of public support.

Following a competition, two sculptors, Robert Wlerick and his pupil Raymond Martin, were commissioned by the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Work was soon interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1939, at the request of Jean Zay, Minister of Education, a wooden model of the statue was produced and displayed on the terrace of the Palais de Chaillot. In order to capture the horse’s movement precisely, Wlerick’s studio was transformed into a manège, where guards led the horse daily for the sculptor’s observation. During the German occupation, work on the monument continued despite adversity. The plaster models, however, cracked when exposed to frost, which made it impossible to complete the project. In 1944, Robert Wlerick died, and responsibility for the monument passed to his pupil Raymond Martin. The bronze statue, five metres high and weighing more than four tonnes, was completed only after the war. The casting was carried out in the workshops of the Alexis Rudier foundry.

In 1948, the monument was placed temporarily on the Colline de Chaillot. It was later decided to transfer it to the Place du Trocadéro, where it was to form the focal point of one of the most prestigious sites in Paris. There it was set upon an eight-metre-high plinth, further emphasising its monumental character.

The monument was not without controversy. Some military officials criticised the absence of a kepi on the Marshal’s head, judging it inappropriate for a military figure. The sculptor defended his choice, arguing that the uncovered head symbolised the strategist’s intellect and vision. The inspiration of the Roman equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius may also have played a role. Critics also pointed to errors of detail: the spurs were mounted in reverse; the horse’s harness lacked jowls; and the Marshal was shown riding a stallion, contrary to military standards. Finally, his sabre was placed at his side rather than fastened to the saddle, as custom dictated.

On the monument, Marshal Foch is depicted on horseback in a classical pose, holding a mace in his hand. The horse is shown in motion, its front leg raised. The composition reflects Wlerick’s characteristic sense of proportion and harmony. The equestrian figure is mounted on a tall rectangular plinth of light-coloured stone, which bears the inscription on its front: 

“FOCH / MARÉCHAL / DE FRANCE / MARÉCHAL / DE GRANDE- / BRETAGNE / ET DE POLOGNE” 

(translated as: FOCH / MARSHAL / OF FRANCE / MARSHAL / OF GREAT / BRITAIN / AND POLAND).

Beneath the inscription appear three stars, symbolising his supreme command of the armies of the three nations. 

Marshal Ferdinand Foch (1851–1929) entered history not only as a distinguished commander of the First World War but also as an honorary Marshal of Poland and an advocate of the Polish cause. During the Greater Poland Uprising of 1919 he compelled the Germans to cease hostilities against the Polish insurgents. On 5 February 1921, at the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, Józef Piłsudski awarded Foch Poland’s highest military decoration, the Virtuti Militari. The ceremony was marked by an exceptional gesture: Piłsudski removed his own cross of the order from his uniform and pinned it to the chest of the French Marshal. Foch also received honorary doctorates from three Polish universities and was granted honorary citizenship of Lwów (Lviv in present-day Ukraine) and Grudziądz. His support for Poland, however, was not entirely disinterested. Aware of the threat Germany posed to France, he regarded a Franco-Polish alliance as a guarantee of security. Indeed, he even contemplated a joint offensive against Germany. 

The Paris statue of Foch is not the only memorial to the Marshal. Since 1992 a replica has stood in Mont-de-Marsan. Yet the monument on the Place du Trocadéro holds particular significance in the Polish context, for it bears the title of Marshal of Poland inscribed on its front. 

An equestrian statue of Foch is also to be found in Tarbes, where he is likewise commemorated as Marshal of Poland. The inscription reads: 

“FERDINAND FOCH / 1851–1929 / MARÉCHAL DE FRANCE / DE GRANDE-BRETAGNE / DE POLOGNE / COMMANDANT EN CHEF / LES ARMÉES ALLIÉES / EN 1918”

(translated as: FERDINAND FOCH / 1851–1929 / MARSHAL OF FRANCE / GREAT BRITAIN / AND POLAND / COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF / OF THE ALLIED ARMIES / IN 1918).