Oradour sur Glane

Just dug some photos out from Oradour sur Glane a martyr village in France, history: just before the end of 2nd ww the Germans rounded up and killed every man woman and child in the village (around 360 or so in retaliation for a resistance operation) the women and children were taken to the church shot then set alight, the men were taken to 3 or 4 different barns around the villageand shot. A few people mangaded to survive. They left the village as it was and continue to repair as required, the place is immacultly (sp) and is well looked after. There is a museum outside the walls of the village. And a new village was built close by, in the same style. This is one place that will not be lost to vandals or developers!!.

Pic heavy, hope you dont mind!

Remember seeing this village on the tv series 'World at war',I think over 600 people were murdered,Ironically the SS confused the town with Oradour sur Vayres where the French resistance were holding an SS officer captive,nobody was spared,and as Gangeox stated very few survived,Interesting post and informative pics

I've heard about this village too...read about it somewhere. It's great that it's kept as it was and looked after. Thanks for posting this, Gangeox. Superb photos, btw.

That brings back memories. I went there as a child, it was such a horrific event. I found the place deeply chilling, very interesting to walk round but you couldnt help but feel for the villagers.

Thanks for the comments, it is a chilling place and very sombre, we had the whole place to ourselves just about so there was very little noise, so was very moving.
Your correct infromthestorm, it was 642 people not 360 :embarrassed:

Found out about this place today, very disturbing what happened & wouldn't mind paying it a visit one day

Yeah great pictures..........
............visited there in 2006 when on one of my extended motorbiking trips!.
..it is a really chillling place......
For anyone interested here's the facts:
642 Men woman and children were shot.
One woman survived.
Five men survived. (Including Robert Hebras who survived to write a definitive account of the massacre. "Oradour Sur Glane The Tragedy, Hour by Hour")

The massacre was carried out by "The 3rd Company of the SS 'Der Fuhrer' Regiment attached to the 2nd Panzer Division

The unit was commanded by and the massacre was ordered by General Lammerding.
On the day before the Oradour massacre he had 99 hostages hung in the town of Tulle.
He died peacefully in 1971 as a succesful West German businessman.

The days work was under the personal command of Major Dickmann
He died a few weeks later in combat in Normandy
2nd in command on the day was Captain Kahn and also Second Lieutenant Barth.
Kahn disappeared after the war and was never found.
Barth was finally sentenced to 'Life Imprisonment' in 1983 after claiming to be innocent for many years and hiding out in East Germany. He was released as being terminally ill in 1997 but lived another 10 years until 2007.....On his death Robert Hebras gave an interview in which he (quite rightly in my opinion) ) asked why Barth had been released at all when he had overseen the death of an entire village, of over 200 children and every single member of Hebras' family and friends?

13 of the soldiers of the unit were actually of French blood..... they were from the Alsace region of France and claimed they had been forcibly conscipted by the SS because of that areas 'closeness' to Germany.....

The day befor the end of their trial these men were 'pardoned' by the government of France...........It is believed this was done in an attempt to 'heal the wounds of war' and to help 'foster a new unity' amongst the French people including those of the Alsace region..............But I guess not so much including the folk of Oradour......

Wow, that's great!

That tower in no. 10 looks very cool

Thanks for sharing

Lb :jimlad:

Thanks for all the comments the tower in 10 Lightbouy is the church, the scene of the worst executions the women and children were killed there, even 2 children who hid the confessional box were found. A truely moving place and well worth a visit.

Thanks Al,

The door if i remember correctly, is the entrance to underneath the butchers and the car belonged to Doctor Jacques Desourteaux (junior) he had just returned from his rounds at the very moment the germans were rounding villagers up on the village square.

tis 15 minutes from my house very moody place

VWPowered said:

tis 15 minutes from my house very moody place

Click to expand...

Don't suppose you know my mate then???? Mike Cooling ? He's an electrician and lives no more than 10 or 15 minutes drive away from there too?

no don't 15 mins can get you a long way

where abouts is he i'm near rochechouart

Come on guys keep it on topic, its not find a friend thread.