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The
Massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane
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| The
S.S. then brought a large black box containing a smoke grenade in
to the church, and lit the fuses causing the box to explode in palls
of thick black smoke, bringing terror and confusion to all. The church
was now a blazing inferno, flames reaching high into the tower, women
and children running in every direction trying to escape the flames,
screams of sheer terror and panic filled the church, there was NO
escape! |
Remains
of the Church. |
The
intention was to asphyxiate and kill everyone, but it was found to
be ineffective in causing a quick death, the S.S. realising their
error were forced to proceed in the most horrific murderous act, by
hurling grenades through the windows and through the church doors
into the crowd of terrified women and children. Many were blown to
pieces, still with their beloved children cradled in their arms. The
church bells came crashing down, soon after the whole roof caved in
and fell into the crowd below, crushing many to death. |
The
S.S. saw that many were still alive, even though suffering terrible
injuries, and immediately opened fire with machine-guns raking the
church inside, murdering those left alive in the blazing inferno….There
lay amidst this carnage of horror 450 bodies, all the women, children
and babies of the village, many burnt beyond recognition, blown apart
by the ferocity of grenades, crushed by the falling masonry, shot
to death by the barbarous S.S. in their murderous task.
The glass in the spectacles and watches that some were wearing had
melted in the heat. In the crypt of the church one can see the dark
imprint on the hard stone floor…….. of a mother who in her
desperation tried to shield her child from the immense heat. |
Madame
Rouffanche, The only one to survive of 450 women and children locked
up in the church. After being shot four times she climbed out of
the window and was found the next day laying in a garden. |
| With
unbelievable ferocity the S.S. immediately began to machine-gun all
the men and boys at the top of the village and in the barns, the murderous
clatter of gunfire rent the air, within minutes over 200 men and boys
were dead. For those who remained alive in the barns there was to
be no reprieve. The order was now given to burn all those inside the
barns, alive or dead. The S.S. soldiers threw in all they could find
that would burn and torched the barns containing the men and boys
of Oradour…. Amidst the screams of terror they perished in the
flames as the fire consumed all those inside. The whole village was
then put to the torch and everything in it was destroyed!!! |
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A few survivors. The young boy in the front Roger Godfrin hid that
day and was the only child to escape the slaughter.
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This
was the massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane
Out
of 642
only a handful of people survived the massacre……..
No
motive or reason can ever excuse this evil, ruthless, atrocity
committed.
That
day will forever live in infamy.
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Today the village of Oradour-sur-Glane…..… remains exactly
as it was left on that most barbaric day of June 10th 1944.
The massacre of 642 men, women, children, and babies will leave its
scar on mankind as a reminder of the evil that was carried out here.
To the people of France it stands as a reminder of Nazi cruelty, and
in the hearts of the citizens of France it is an ache in their heart
for the freedom gained and the lives lost!!!
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Should
we venture to that part of France near Limoges, the Haute-Vienne
region, may we stop and see the village that now is a memorial to
all those that perished here……….and Remember!!!
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This
is only one of the atrocities carried out by the Nazi regime, there
are many, many, more, and in every country of Europe there were massacres
carried out during this evil reign of terror.
One cannot express in words how horrific and terrifying this act of
barbarity was, how could I ever put into words the terror that was
present here!!! |
Sad
reminder of the innocents of war. |
As I walked solemnly through the remains of the village, I stopped
at the church…… and went inside. There in this ruined building
I could see the dark outline, the imprint on the stone floor……..where,
in this woman's last few breaths the most fanatical struggle of her
life took place, the last moments of life on earth, when she had tried
desperately to save the child she loved most dearly from the flames
that were to engulf them both. She had perished in her final act of
devotion to her beloved child.
It was a most terrible feeling standing in this place of such horror,
I could not help myself and was reduced to tears for what I had seen….…
and I will Remember!!! |
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