During World War I, Reims suffered several German bombardments. On September 19, 1914, the city's cathedral experienced a massive fire. Twenty years were needed to restore the building, which is still undergoing renovations today. Between 1924 and 1926, the architect Henri Deneux conceived and installed a new framework in reinforced concrete for the cathedral. The monument's inauguration took place in 1938 in the presence of personalities from all over the world. In July 1962, French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer officialized the reconciliation of their countries underneath the vaults of Notre-Dame-de-Reims cathedral.