Oradour-Sur-Glane

[cerro]

After 68 years German prosecutors are at Oradour in new hunt for six perpetrators of French village massacre who may still be alive. I have been twice and it’s a very moving place on a par with the Somme battle fields for that special quietness that one feels. If any one decides to go I would recommend not to miss the cemetery at the top where there are Photos of the children on the grave stones that were murder

Not many people know, but that it was the reason SOE agent Violette Szabo. GC. was caught as the German patrols were out looking for the kidnapped German officer when she ran into them.

In my personal opinion the women soe agents and the men that manned the midget submarines were the bravest of the brave.

 

[Tracker]

A truly humbling and thought provoking experience indeed.

 

There is a good Aire a few minutes walk away but it pays to get there early if you want a level pitch!

[Patricia]

I visited it many years ago and was moved to tears - hauntingly tragic. I read, on this forum I think, that books have been written that linked this awful event to a hunt for lost or stolen German treasure. I must do a search and refresh my memory. I should also like to track down the book.

[spospe]

Patricia - 2013-01-30 10:51 PM

 

I visited it many years ago and was moved to tears - hauntingly tragic. I read, on this forum I think, that books have been written that linked this awful event to a hunt for lost or stolen German treasure. I must do a search and refresh my memory. I should also like to track down the book.

 

The book you are thinking of is, "Oradour Massacre and Aftermath" by Robin Mackness. It is available in paperback (or from the library) and the ISBN is: 0-7475-1962-5

 

For a fuller list of books and videos on the subject see: http://www.oradour.info/general/bibogphy.htm

[Patricia]

spospe - 2013-01-31 9:29 AM

 

Patricia - 2013-01-30 10:51 PM

 

I visited it many years ago and was moved to tears - hauntingly tragic. I read, on this forum I think, that books have been written that linked this awful event to a hunt for lost or stolen German treasure. I must do a search and refresh my memory. I should also like to track down the book.

 

The book you are thinking of is, "Oradour Massacre and Aftermath" by Robin Mackness. It is available in paperback (or from the library) and the ISBN is: 0-7475-1962-5

 

For a fuller list of books and videos on the subject see: http://www.oradour.info/general/bibogphy.htm

 

That is absolutely the book that I was thinking of. I remember the author's name now. Thank you for saving me a long search. Was it you who posted this information in an earlier thread?

[Dave225]

Indeed a sad place, however one could point it it was not the only one. Lidice springs to mind and of course the French did not cover themselves with glory over their treatment of the Jews within Vichy France. French Courts blocked prosecution for many years until Chirac came to power, by which time many had died or were so old as to make any trial meaningless, which is I suspect the likely outcome of this investigation.

 

I also think they are far far too late. Even at earlier trials in the 50's it was Germany that refused to allow its citizens to be extradited in many cases, and even on this one the verdicts of an earlier trail were overturned. Why Germany is actually doing this now is curious as up till now they have never shown much enthusiasm to even try to prosecute known Nazi perpetrators living in Germany on state pensions.