Oradour-sur-glane

Within the church a memorial listing the names of soldiers from Oradour-sur-Glane that fell during the First World War remains attached to the wall with gunshot marks evident. The interior of the church had numerous bullet holes.

The church where 247 women and 205 children were slaughtered by the Germans.

The remains of a pram within the church.

Burnt car carcasses remain throughout the village.

The roading, tram and power infrastucture still remain undamaged, a juxtaposition with the balance of the village.

The infants' school.

Oradour-sur-Glane is a French village that was the scene of a massacre of its inhabitants on 10th June 1944 by a German Nazi SS Company. Only one woman survived to tell the story, the other 642 people perished.
The men were separated from the women and children, split into several groups and killed by machine gun fire. The 247 women and 205 children were locked inside the church, incendiary devices were ignited and the interior burnt. Any person that tried to escape was shot.
Twenty German soldiers were convicted of the war crime, yet most were released within 12 months of their conviction. None served longer than five years.
The village has remained in its original form, a national memorial to the horror of war. It took 69 years for a German President to visit the village.
Visiting Oradour-sur-Glane was a very moving experience. No talking is permitted in the village. The atmosphere is unbelievably sad. Because the village was burnt by the Germans, nothing made of wood remains. Yet everyday items made of steel have not been moved since that fateful June 1944 day. Sewing machines, bakers ovens, forges, lathes, beds and cars are identifiable. Through this evidence of occupation the tragedy assumes a reality that has left an indelible impression on us.