Oradour Sur Glane

[Dog]

Has anyone ever been to Oradour Sur Glane?

 

The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, destroyed the French town of Oradour during WWII and today it is preserved In a Ruined State.

 

 

The following day German soldiers began encircling the village of Oradour-sur-Glane. A unit of 120 soldiers from the Waffen SS tank division entered the village and instructed everyone to assemble in the central marketplace. Other soldiers in armored cars rounded up men and women working in nearby farms and fields.

 

At about three o'clock the soldiers separated the women and children from the men. They were taken to the church and locked in. Major Otto Dickman, announced that the SS knew that the village was hiding arms and munitions for the French Resistance. Dickman then told the mayor, Paul Desourteaux, to select hostages from among those assembled in the marketplace. The mayor refused, offering himself and his sons instead.

 

Dickman rejected Desourteaux's offer and ordered that all the men be divided into groups and moved them to various barns and garages in the village. The SS soldiers then opened fire on the men. The only ones to survive were five young men from a group of 62 taken to the Laudy barn.

 

At five o'clock two German soldiers entered the church and placed a large chest on the altar. They walked out, laying out a long fuse as they went, which they lit before shutting the door. A few seconds later the chest exploded. Some managed to survive the blast but were shot dead by the soldiers as they scrambled out of the bombed building. Only Marguerite Rouffanche managed to get out of the church and escape the bullets being fired by the SS soldiers. Although she was wounded she managed to hide until the Germans left the village.

 

 

[PaulSaint]

Powerful stuff, boy the Nazis were a bunch of cvnts! Might go there one day now, thanks for posting!

[redkeith]

I have been there many times, as I live half an hour away.

 

It is a very powerful place to visit, particularly the church, and the crypt full of childrens toys and other day to day stuff found in the rubble. Max Hastings book 'Das Riech' is a good account of the carnage that the Das Riech division caused as it reponded to the Resistance.

 

If anyone wants to go there, it is about 20 minutes away from Limoges airport ( Flybe from Southampton )

[Sheaf Saint]

Did they ever prove that the locals were actually hiding arms though?

[South Londoner]

I went there a few years ago; I'm afraid that I don't have the words to describe it without appearing cliched, but would thoroughly recommend a visit to anyone who finds themselves in the area.

 

It remains in exactly the state it was on the day the Germans marched out in 1944. It also features as the opening sequence in the first episode of the classic 70's series "The World at War."

[Dog]

I have been there many times, as I live half an hour away.

 

It is a very powerful place to visit, particularly the church, and the crypt full of childrens toys and other day to day stuff found in the rubble. Max Hastings book 'Das Riech' is a good account of the carnage that the Das Riech division caused as it reponded to the Resistance.

 

If anyone wants to go there, it is about 20 minutes away from Limoges airport ( Flybe from Southampton )

 

 

How much is a flight, and are there any good boozers & hotels in the village?

[Kingsland Codger]

It remains in exactly the state it was on the day the Germans marched out in 1944. It also features as the opening sequence in the first episode of the classic 70's series "The World at War."

 

And also as the closing sequence in the final episode of the same series.

[Whitey Grandad]

How much is a flight, and are there any good boozers & hotels in the village?

 

www.flybe.com ?

 

I have often passed by on our way south towing a caravan. We used to stay at Bellac. When I can face up to it we shall dedicate a day to visiting it.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Yeah - been there. Very moving. Don't park your Beemer, Merc or Audi in the car park. the place stirs strong anti German sentiment, even now. There is a rumour the arms story was a cover as the Germans were looking for Nazi gold that had gone missing. There is a book around about that somewhere.

[Dog]

Yeah - been there. Very moving. Don't park your Beemer, Merc or Audi in the car park. the place stirs strong anti German sentiment, even now. There is a rumour the arms story was a cover as the Germans were looking for Nazi gold that had gone missing. There is a book around about that somewhere.

 

Will I be ok in my VW golf?

[Whitey Grandad]

Yeah - been there. Very moving. Don't park your Beemer, Merc or Audi in the car park. the place stirs strong anti German sentiment, even now. There is a rumour the arms story was a cover as the Germans were looking for Nazi gold that had gone missing. There is a book around about that somewhere.

 

Good point. Is it worthg plastering big Union Jacks all over just to be safe?

[doubleonothing]

I've been there twice. First time I went it started to rain when we arrived in the car park and continued when we went into the village itself. The whole place was silent with people walking round in silence. Even the birds didn't seem to be making any noise. A bit eery but at the same time moving and fascinating.

 

The visitors centre has a very good exhibition which is very informative about what happened.

[dronskisaint]

I spent a few hours there....it's a sobering atmosphere which brings the full horrors in to uncomfortable focus. I found the cemetery difficult to take with pictures of the kids & their families.

 

If you Google further & dig there are theories that are totally different to the version presented there...not subscribing to them in any way but they give more food for thought.

 

I really can recommend visiting...I too noted an air of hostility when a couple of teens spoke loud German but it may have just been that they were loud. My Audi survived unscathed anyway but it has English plates!