Loire Valley to the South of France
With Allan and Carla
The day started out with a drive to the small village of Mortemart-population 112. It's listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France and can trace its roots back to 995, but 'modern' Mortemart traces
its past to the 14th century when 3 monasteries were
built-2 of them survive to this day. But the day was
highlighted by a visit to Oradour-sur-Glane. On June
10, 1944, the Nazi's murdered 642 men, women and
children and then burned the town to the ground. The
town has been left as it was found as a memorial and
the new town was rebuilt next to it. It's the one day of
the trip that will stick with me.
As I walked down the street it was eerily quiet, this is a place to remember and never forget. I've never visited a concentration camp but I have to imagine I'd have the same feelings there as I had here. Some of the people on the tour; including Carla, didn't want to hang around
Thoughts...In the cemetery you'll find gravestones where all the family members are buried together, all murdered. The women and children were taken to the church and shot, the men were divided and taken to different areas of the town and slaughtered. As you leave the town you walk through a tunnel with photos of everyone who died that day. I'm not an emotional guy, but it made me angry...and sad.
Final thoughts about this day...I grew up in the 1970's reading Sgt. Rock and GI Combat comic books and running around the neighbourhood with friends playing soldier. I was a kid, doing kid things and not once did I ever imagine the horror of what the kids in France must have suffered, not only on that day but everyday wondering if their Dad's would come home. Everywhere I went; including Mortemarte and Oradour-sur-Glane I saw war memorials for both wars.