Oradour-sur-Glane. France (1 Viewer)

[Rob and Val]

We were at Oradour-sur-Glane about three years ago. Neither of us could speak afterwards as we were feeling so emotional.

 

[rolandrat]

Certainly a very moving visit.

 

[Fenman]

We have visited often as it is only a short drive from our house. Still find it moving after all these visits.
We have only ever seen one German coach in the car park. Sadly the older passengers went round but every single young person stayed in the coach drinking lager. That saddened me even more.
We don't always go in via the exhibition as we have seen it so often but you can give a donation if you want to.

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[PhilandMena]

We have visited often as it is only a short drive from our house. Still find it moving after all these visits.
We have only ever seen one German coach in the car park. Sadly the older passengers went round but every single young person stayed in the coach drinking lager. That saddened me even more.
We don't always go in via the exhibition as we have seen it so often but you can give a donation if you want to.

Last November Mena and I went to Belsen concentration camp. We were both pleasantly surprised to see school buses bringing in teenageers who were given a guided tour of the camp and watching historical film footage. The footage was shocking !

 

[parknride]

Amazing, moving place. I got a little annoyed during our visit last year with some french students. Obviously on some educational trip, they were jumping in and out of a confessional box taking silly selfies in the church! I let their teacher know I wasn't amused with the total lack of respect.
We had wanted to visit for years and were not disappointed. Saddened and humbled though.

 

[Ja63]

The worst part is that it was the wrong Oradour being targeted.

The actual target was another village called Oradour sur Vrayes, a few kilometres away, where a German officer was being held captive or had been killed (I think). It makes you wonder what the people of O s Vrayes felt when they heard about what should have been THEIR fate.

If you visit, make sure you also visit the cemetery, on the outskirts of the village. It makes it 'sink in' more when you see the family graves with the photos of the whole families wiped out that afternoon.

The saddest place I have ever been......

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[sylvester1954]

We also visited the village this summer and it certainly leaves a deep and sad impression on ones mind. The one element I personally find difficult and uncomfortable is to take photographs of the ruins - not saying those that did were in the wrong but I just couldnt take my camera out of my pocket even once. Also I found the noisiest and least reverent of the visitors were the French themselves.
Strangly enough today I visited another "empty" village from WW2 at Tyneham in Dorset which was emptied by the allies in preperation for the invasion of France. Obviously the clearing of Tyneham was for a completely different reason than Oradour but is still a derelict village touched by war and has its own sad history. Certainly worth a visit if your around that way.

 

[f6c]

Yes very moving & sad

 

[sdc77]

I read a couple of books many years ago concerning this , one was about a Frenchman fighting with the waffen ss in Russia and the other was about the large number of ex ss who were given the option by the French of joining the Foreign legion and fighting in what was indo china ,now Vietnam.

The ex ss commanding officer based a lot of his tactics on the british armys tactic in Jungle warfare .

Devils guard by George Elford. . Great read!

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[Don Quixote]

Devils guard by George Elford. . Great read!

I read that many years ago, but it is considered untrue by military historians. A good fictional read.

 

[Glandwr]

France and its institutions were governed by a pro Nazi government madeup of Frenchmen between 1940 and 1945. Many of the Jews in France sent to the death camps were denounced and indeed rounded up by Frenchmen.

That is one reason Oradour has such poignancy for them. It is also worth remembering that old man Le Penn called on what was left of those that supported the Vichy government when he founded the Front Nationale.

A hugely sad and haunting place that must be preserved as a reminder of what man can do to man.

Dick

 

[dereklyn]

My wife and I visited this place a few weeks ago and found it very emotional, bullet holes in a pram,what an amazing reminder.
Dereklyn

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[filopastry]

My wife and I visited, spent a long time in the visitors centre and watched the report videos etc and found them very moving and disturbing to remember the atrocities man can bring upon man. Afterwards we walked, almost in silence around the village with the fresh thoughts of that day. I find as I grow older, the more I am "touched" by such things. Whilst I understand the offence caused by youths failing to show respect "taking selfies" etc. one should also try and forgive as they are "young" and sometimes irreverent in the full flow of life, looking forwards as did we at their age. I still look forwards, I am still full of life (I hope) just these days, I reflect a little more.
"Lest we forget"
Thought for today as in my signature "It's always a sunny day ...... just sometimes ..... we are the wrong side of the clouds"