The BnF is actively soliciting patrons and major donors for an equally exceptional acquisition: the 77 original plates of the comic La Bête est morte! La guerre mondiale chez les animaux by cartoonist Calvo.

La Bête est morte! is a historical story written and published clandestinely during the Occupation, recounting the tragic events of the Second World War in the form of an animal fable. Military operations and political events are described in detail, as well as the Resistance inside and out, the daily lives of civilians and prison camps. In particular, La Bête est morte! is the first comic strip to evoke the fate of the Jews during the Second World War through the concentration and extermination camps.

Exceptional for its historical dimension, La Bête est morte! is also remarkable for its graphic qualities. This masterpiece of the comic occupies an eminent place in the French history of the ninth art. Calvo's original plates are naturally destined to be preserved in the BnF's Rare Book Reserve, a department that has received two major donations of comics: from Albert Uderzo and his wife, and from François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters.

The importance of these historic illustrations joining the public collections is beyond doubt. The purchase price has been set at €875,000. Our aim is to raise this sum through the mobilisation of companies, foundations, the general public and major donors.