Oradour sur Glane

[briwy]

I knew nothing about this place until a chance find on the net a few weeks ago. Spent three hours there today and came away wondering how humans have survived as long as we have.
We took no pictures as this is the kind of place like Auswitz that need no photos.
In short, on 10th June 1944 two hundred SS murdered over six hundred and thirty two men, women and children in the village and razed the buildings, allegedly as retribution for the kidnapping of an SS officer by the resistance.
Today the remains stand as they were left as a memorial to this and other massacres in France. Ruined buildings, burnt out cars and sewing machines in lots of the ruins.
There is plenty of more detailed information on the net.
If you go, prepare to get emotional.

 

[Jabberwocky]

My word! As they say, you never know what's just round the corner........

 

[Hotel California]

On the "to go one day" list....
Seen pictures of it on the www and it is just unreal ...

 

[Loz]

We visited in 2007 We was stunned. We brought back some acorns from that oak by the church and our friends have managed to grow theirs.

 

[Borris]

I was taken there in the early 1960s when I was only a young lad. It had a profound effect on me then and I can still remember that day as if it were yesterday.

I clearly recall walking through those streets and reading the information boards about what had happened at various locations in that once vibrant town just twenty years before. Apart from being burnt out the houses looked as if the residents had just left! For a ten year old on the way back from a happy summer holiday in the sun, it was a horrific introduction to how cruel people can be. The other thing that amplified that sense of horror was the complete absence of bird song, in rural France in summer!

Consequently, I'm not sure I would ever recommend anyone visit that place.

 

[altvic]

All today’s, and future , generations should be encouraged visit Oradour (and other atrocity sites) to experience for themselves how easily humanity can fall into the depths of darkness. This might help preserve peace.

 

[Azteccamper]

I knew nothing about this place until a chance find on the net a few weeks ago. Spent three hours there today and came away wondering how humans have survived as long as we have.
We took no pictures as this is the kind of place like Auswitz that need no photos.
In short, on 10th June 1944 two hundred SS murdered over six hundred and thirty two men, women and children in the village and razed the buildings, allegedly as retribution for the kidnapping of an SS officer by the resistance.
Today the remains stand as they were left as a memorial to this and other massacres in France. Ruined buildings, burnt out cars and sewing machines in lots of the ruins.
There is plenty of more detailed information on the net.
If you go, prepare to get emotional.

I concur. Went the last year and was left to walk around in near silence with my wife. I recommend the visitor centre to get the context, but prepare to get emotional.
A shocking reminder of the horrors of war and humanity.

 

[Jay20cali]

We visited in 2016 it was a very sad but amazing place definitely a must see ...got lots of pictures here’s a few

 

[Scorf]

It features at the very beginning & end of the wonderful TV series "The World at War" produced by Thames Television in 1973. Narrated by Laurence Olivier..... very moving.

Episodes 1 and 26 both started with the words;

"Down this road, on a summer day in 1944 ... The soldiers came. Nobody lives here now. They stayed only a few hours. When they had gone, a community which had lived for a thousand years ... was dead.

This is Oradour-sur-Glane, in France. The day the soldiers came, the people were gathered together. The men were taken to garages and barns, the women and children were led down this road ... and they were driven ... into this church. Here, they heard the firing as their men were shot. Then . . . they were killed too. A few weeks later, many of those who had done the killing were themselves dead, in battle.

They never rebuilt Oradour. Its ruins are a memorial. Its martyrdom stands for thousand upon thousand of other martyrdoms in Poland, in Russia, in Burma, China, in a World at War ..."

 

[jts46]

To make matters worse it was the wrong Oradour

 

[Loz]

I was going to say the same, retribution for an attack on a German officer that happened in Orador up north.

 

[Azteccamper]

It features at the very beginning & end of the wonderful TV series "The World at War" produced by Thames Television in 1973. Narrated by Laurence Olivier..... very moving.

Episodes 1 and 26 both started with the words;

"Down this road, on a summer day in 1944 ... The soldiers came. Nobody lives here now. They stayed only a few hours. When they had gone, a community which had lived for a thousand years ... was dead.

This is Oradour-sur-Glane, in France. The day the soldiers came, the people were gathered together. The men were taken to garages and barns, the women and children were led down this road ... and they were driven ... into this church. Here, they heard the firing as their men were shot. Then . . . they were killed too. A few weeks later, many of those who had done the killing were themselves dead, in battle.

They never rebuilt Oradour. Its ruins are a memorial. Its martyrdom stands for thousand upon thousand of other martyrdoms in Poland, in Russia, in Burma, China, in a World at War ..."

I’m sure I read that there are concerns that it may only be open to the public for a few more years due to safety concerns. Deeply moving place.

 

[Nick Stubbs]

We found it by accident a few years back, yes very moving...

 

[Bill R]

Thanks for this Brian @briwy - It’s now my overnight stop on my return from Spain & Andorra in September

 

[Azteccamper]

Thanks for this Brian @briwy - It’s now my overnight stop on my return from Spain & Andorra in September

If you like very quiet cl type sites we found this on our travels and stayed. Owned by an English family (think they were selling up to local family) really nice. Abou5 20 mins from oradour sur glane

 

[Nick Stubbs]

There is an Aire in the new village. there was a toilet as well when we stopped also free.

 

[Grumpy Mike]

Been twice, took my son. Its a must. Lets us remember what humankind can do if we tolerate and promote hatred. I agree, the place had a massive effect on me. I read the history of it prior to the visit which made it come to life.

 

[Tom Downie]

I knew nothing about this place until a chance find on the net a few weeks ago. Spent three hours there today and came away wondering how humans have survived as long as we have.
We took no pictures as this is the kind of place like Auswitz that need no photos.
In short, on 10th June 1944 two hundred SS murdered over six hundred and thirty two men, women and children in the village and razed the buildings, allegedly as retribution for the kidnapping of an SS officer by the resistance.
Today the remains stand as they were left as a memorial to this and other massacres in France. Ruined buildings, burnt out cars and sewing machines in lots of the ruins.
There is plenty of more detailed information on the net.
If you go, prepare to get emotional.

The saddest thing about it to me is that 10 years later the French were doing similar thing in Viet Nam. What does that say about the Human Race?

 

[J & S Saldanha]

Wow, although obviously upsetting, it's good they have kept it like that as such a stark reminder of the depravity that occurred, and hopefully never to be repeated. Thanks for the recommendation. If we're in the area at all we'll go and pay our respects.

 

[jts46]

Good book to read about the panzer divisions that came from Montauban to try and stop the allied invasion on 4th June, but failed because of harassment by the resistance, is "Das Reich" by Max Hastings.

 

[Geesvw]

I knew nothing about this place until a chance find on the net a few weeks ago. Spent three hours there today and came away wondering how humans have survived as long as we have.
We took no pictures as this is the kind of place like Auswitz that need no photos.
In short, on 10th June 1944 two hundred SS murdered over six hundred and thirty two men, women and children in the village and razed the buildings, allegedly as retribution for the kidnapping of an SS officer by the resistance.
Today the remains stand as they were left as a memorial to this and other massacres in France. Ruined buildings, burnt out cars and sewing machines in lots of the ruins.
There is plenty of more detailed information on the net.
If you go, prepare to get emotional.

We went there around a month ago, a truly horrific site, still as it was when it was torched
The most powerful image for us was the carcass of a single pram by the alter in the church where all the women and children we’re massacred!
Lest we forget......