In early November 1635, the Lorraine town of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port was plundered for several days by soldiers from the armies massed in the surrounding area. Although under the protection of the King of France, the town was not defended by French troops from Nancy. No one really knows who was responsible for this tragedy, which was similar to those experienced by many other places during the Thirty Years’ War. However, this incident raises questions in the context of the French occupation of the Duchy of Lorraine. The French and the duke of Lorraine each had, in principle, a political advantage to gain from this sacking, but it is clear that media coverage of the event was very limited, which also allows us to discuss the idea of the memory of what is known as the “sacking of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port.”