80th anniversary of Oradour massacre

[MAD87]

On Monday 10 June,starting at 8.45 a.m. We'll be in lockdown as both Macron and the President of Germany are attending, along with delegations from many countries and regions of France. Here's the programme in case anyone's able/willing to come. OH is planning to go, but I don't think I can hobble too far, but will watch the cortège from my office window. Parking might be a problem for latecomers and the place will be crawling with terrestrial and airborne gendarmes. The media started arriving this morning.

Cérémonies commémoratives du 10 juin 2024.
Philippe Lacroix, Maire d'Oradour-sur-Glane et son Conseil municipal, Benoît Sadry, Président de l'Association Nationale des Familles des Martyrs et le Conseil d'administration vous invitent à participer aux Cérémonies Commémoratives du 80eme anniversaire du massacre du 10 juin 1944 qui se dérouleront le 10 juin 2024 à partir de 9 heures.
Programme :
8 h 45 : rassemblement devant la mairie
9 h 00 : départ du cortège
9 h 05 : dépôt de gerbe et roses blanches au monument aux morts des enfants de l'école
9 h 20 : Dépôt de gerbes au monument aux morts des deux guerres
9 h 40 : Entrée dans le village martyr par l'entrée nord
10 h 05 : Dépôt de gerbes à l'ancienne église
10 h 20 : Minute de silence place du champ de foire de l'ancien bourg
10 h 25 : Entrée sur l'esplanade du mémorial
10 h 40 : Lectures de textes et chants
11 h 20 : Dépôt de gerbes
La cérémonie sera suivie par un hommage des Présidents français et allemand.
Pause
15 h 30 : Messe à la nouvelle église célébrée par le Nonce Apostolique
16 h 30 : Dévoilement des projets mémoriels
Signature du pacte d'amitié entre les Villes d'Hersbruck et d'Oradour Sur Glane.

De nombreuses délégations étrangères participeront à cette cérémonie : des élus de Belchite, notre ville jumelle d'Espagne, mais aussi des groupes venus d'Allemagne, d'Italie, de Slovénie, de Pologne, d'Ukraine, de Corée du Sud, d'Angleterre, mais aussi des délégations venues des quatre coins de France : Charly Oradour, Saint Maur des Fossés, Strasbourg, Dunkerque, Caen, Villeneuve d'Ascq, Maillé,...

Une journée de recueillement pour ne jamais oublier..
Une cérémonie d'hommage et de souvenir aux 643 martyrs

[DaveW]

I visited Oradour a few years ago. The site is a monument to the worst of Nazi behaviour and a sombre experience.
Quite daunting.

[Trelawney]

We also made a detour to visit and were suitably shocked even though we had been well aware of its history. I am glad that the memory has not been lost in the modern, popular tendency to ignore the suffering of past generations.

[Chappers51]

I have visited Oradour on 3 (possibly 4) occasions. My ex (late) husband always felt it was important to take visitors to the village. Like Dave I found it a sombre experience and I am pleased there will be a special ceremony to remember the events of 10th June.´
The first occasion, 20 + years ago, left me speechless and so moved to witness the silence, the devastation of a village. The final time, I felt like it was becoming a tourist attraction with people showing very little respect to what had occurred and the importance of the way it has been preserved.

I do hope it doesn’t become another of those « tick off I’ve been there » places to visit.

[Wilbro]

Our first visit was in the 70's and memories were still raw. Both being blond we spoke loudly so people wouldn't think we were German. It was a very moving experience and this and other similar atrocities always makes me wonder how people can do these things.

[exile]

I have not been to Oradour and to be honest have no desire to do so. That is not to suggest that I do not recognise the horrors that occurred.

I have however been to Vassieux en Vercors and the museum there recording not dissimilar events on the Vercors plateau. I found it thoroughly depressing. It is probably less well known than Oradour because the action took place over a number of days and covered a large area rather than being concentrated on one village. Additionally the maquis fought back so casualties and destruction can be viewed as being collateral damage. The results however were sadly very similar.