Verdun

Verdun was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare. In 300 days, 300 000 men lost their lives, and 400 000 men were injured - many in life-altering ways. After the war, during the grim task of clearing the fields of unidentified bodies (130 000 of them), it was decided that an ossuary would be built to house all the remains, French and German, with no attempt at distinguishing between them. The war had cost too many lives - perhaps this could be a symbol for peace, for the need to avoid war at all costs. Unfortunately, by 1932, when this ossuary was completed, Europe was already on the road to another war.

Anita appears to be shaking hands with this WW I soldier.

Some of the kids, like Calder, spent a lot of time in the Douaumont Museum.

This German soldier looks only a little older than the kids on the trip.

In front of the museum.

It is usually fittingly cold and miserable at Verdun. Today - warm and sunny - so we took advantage of it and had a picnic in a nearby park.

Reginald displeased me.

Enjoying the picnic.

In front of the ossuary is a French military cemetery. Magdalena is looking at the graves of the French colonial soldiers who came to Europe from Africa to fight for France. Their graves face Mecca.

Victoria amongst the 15 000 graves.

The ossuary, covered in scaffolding this year, is in the background.

Contemplating Verdun.

The Moroccan headstones.

Magdalena and I in front of perhaps a distant relative.

Heading down the path to the chapel of Fleury. Fleury was one of nine French country villages completely destroyed during the Battle of Verdun. They rebuilt the chapel, but no one wanted to return to live here. Now only small markers amongst all the shell craters show where the village people once lived and worked.