Oradour-Sur-Glane

Did a final wander of Limoges and our next stop was Oradour-Sur-Glane (the Martyred Village)
On 10th June 1944, Nazis surrounded the village, herded all the women and children into the Church and set fire to it- 1 survivor escaped
The men were rounded up in different areas of the village and simultaneously shot dead- 5 men escaped.
In a few hours 642 lives were lost.
General de Gaulle wanted to preserve the ruins in order to bear witness for the rest of mankind to the consequences of the barbarity of war.
This village was one of many.
What remains is destroyed buildings, electricity lines that no longer have purpose, tram lines leading nowhere, burnt out shells of cars and buildings is all that remains.
All of those men, women and children had rejoiced in the Allied landings 4 days earlier.
So sobering- we were both quite overcome with emotion - hard to explain.
Only a few stood trial.Read more