A detailed study of the polarization and depolarization behavior of 7:65:35 and 8:65:35 lead lathanum zirconate titanate transparent ceramics under dc bias and constant heating rates has been carried out. The dielectric permittivity exhibits a new anomaly near 0 °C in freshly thermally depoled samples which is associated with a buildup of macrodomains and the development of a remanent polarization. From continuity of the dispersive behaviors it is suggested that the dielectric change at the so‐called &agr;–&bgr; transitionTdis not a conventional phase change, but rather is a loss of macro‐ordering and a decay back to a disordered microdomain texture.