At school, my class had been studying WWI to commemorate the centenary of the start of that war. Along with my pupils, I learnt many facts I hadn't known and was really pleased with how the children developed a good understanding of many of the events which led to conflict. I was particularly impressed with one keen pupil who used a map of Europe to explain the various alliances between the countries to a rapt group of peers - only slightly marred by reference to those countries as 'teams'!
 |
| Douaumont Ossuary |
Driving through
the forested hills above Verdun, we came to an open hilltop crowned with
the Douaumont Ossuary. It is a memorial containing the remains of
approximately 130,000 soldiers, both French and German, who died during the
Battle of Verdun (Feb-Dec 1916) on a battlefield covering less than 20
sq.km/8 sq. miles. Rows of white crosses stand out bravely and
forlornly on the grassy slopes. Outside the ossuary through small
external windows, one can see bones, some ordered by parts (femur, skull,
etc.,) and some haphazardly piled in alcoves. Inside the building,
names of soldiers are inscribed along the ceiling and walls.
Everything here appears to be a stark reminder of the ultimate sacrifice and pure awfulness of war. And yet, from the remains of the wrecked villages, cratered land and rusted and decaying fortifications, there is a sense of life and hope. Even Nature herself intervened as a group of swallows nesting in the cracked concrete, and chirping cheerfully from a corroded metal spike, couldn't help but lift my spirits.
This is a beautiful area that has so much more than the WWI sites which were the focus of this trip for me. The icing on the gateau, so to speak, is the variety of villages dotted along the routes which just ooze their charm into the air, inviting travellers to kick back and relax in a café or pâtisserie. Go on: you know you want to, and you'll love it!!
No comments:
Post a Comment