We took a mini-road trip to Oadour-sur-Glane, which is where our friend Robin did his internship. Oradour-sur-Glane was/is a village in France destroyed by the Germans in WWII. There is confusion over why this even happened. Some say it was to quench german resistance in France, some say it was because of rumors of a german hostage, others say they just got the wrong village. But either way over 600 innocent men, women and children where shot here and then the village set ablaze and the following pictures are the aftermath still standing as a reminder.
These signs point out the 6 different locations where the men were separated out to stand and wait to be shot at. All the guns were supposed to fire at the same time. When one went off early some of the men were alerted to what was going to happen and a few were able to fight back and escape.
The women were gathered in this church. Many could have survived by escaping out this back door, except for the fact that panic had set in. Everyone was pressing against the door and the door needed to swing open into the church, this wasn't possible with all the people pressing up against it.
There was one female survivor who managed to escape by some extreme gymnastics by flipping off a table through a window and landing injured 10 feet below. She dragged herself into bushes and remained there until she was rescued the next day.
The village remains in ruins and a duplicate village was built nearby which is still inhabited. In the fields next to the original village there are several memorials and graves. These two glass cases contain some of the remains found in the burned homes and businesses.
Well I guess just to continue on this sad note. I'm posting the pictures of my last days in Limgoes. I still have a few more blogs to put up but these are some pictures of me saying goodbye to my awesome friends and brother.
(We expect to see you all here in the States for next Thanksgiving.)
This is Ghennadi's sad face.
C'est normal.
This is true brochette love.
And this one because this is how I will always remember him. Beer in hand, tongue out, sitting in the window smoking.
I do have good news though! I'm posting this blog today because today we are picking up my brother from the airport!!! I can't believe it's already time!
Saying goodbye at the train station! Next stop, Paris!
By the way, Christelle is moving to America!!!!!!!!! Even better just one state over, Georgia!!!!
And Eric comes home today!!!!
Bisous! Bisous! Bisous!
Next blog....Paris!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment