In Memoriam

Memorial Day: where we remember those who have given much- in many cases everything- for others in a time of war.

Celebrating Memorial Day in Europe for the last five years has given the day a new significance to me.  In America, Memorial Day is where we remember what our troops did over there- "there" being either Europe, Asia, or Africa.  Five years ago, though, I celebrated for the first time what our troops did here- in the very land where I lived.  The difference is significant.

As I've since learned, distance can give sacrifice a foreign quality- perhaps exotic, perhaps mystical- to us that can minimize our understanding, or even appreciation, of it.  Distance can be physical or in time, yielding similar results.  The farther we are away, in miles or years, tends to detract from the magnitude of what happened.  So, while (I hope) I'd previously been thankful for the sacrifice of those who served, I'm not sure I truly understood the depth of it- until I saw some of the evidence for myself.

I've been blessed to see many war-related grounds in my time in Europe, and in each case, I've been humbled by what my eyes have beheld.  Pictures don't do it justice- no amount of the History Channel will fully convey what your senses can perceive in pacing the battlefields or reflecting amongst the gravestones.  Today, I'd like to briefly share those areas that have impacted me most in this vein.

Luxembourg American Cemetery, Luxembourg

Where General Patton is buried, the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial holds just over 5,000 American dead from WWII.  A white cross (or star of David, if applicable) marks the grave of each servicemen, and several monuments near the entrance describe either aspects of the WWII campaign, or extol the sacrifice of those who fell.

The American Cemetery in Luxembourg

Near the American Cemetery is the German equivalent.  The two are quite different- the German graves are made of darker, rougher-cut stone, and the cemetery itself is less advertised than its American counterpart.  Both are worth a visit if you're in the area.

The German Cemetery

Normandy, France

Perhaps the most famous of the WWII cemeteries, Normandy is indeed impressive. About 9,400 Americans lie here.  Surprisingly, most of the surrounding beaches- where the battles were fought on D-Day, as the allies landed- are nearly "wiped clean" of any sign of battle.  Nearby Pointe du Hoc has the most preserved from the battle- ruined bunkers, rusted barbed wire, etc.- and is a must if you make the trip.

A girl prays at a Normandy grave

Bunker remains, Pointe du Hoc

Bastogne, Belgium

Towards the end of WWII, as the Allies took France back from the Nazis and pushed on through Belgium, Germany made a last push in the Ardennes Forest- an offensive called the Battle of the Bulge.  Those familiar with HBO's Band of Brothers will recognize the event.  We visited Bastogne, Belgium in winter to view the battlefield.  Not much is left- hardly anything, in fact, other than some museums- but what we did find was powerful.  We heard that foxholes remained in the woods, where our troops dug in as they attempted to drive the Germans from nearby villages.  We asked some locals who showed us the way, and sure enough, after about a half mile of walking through the forest, we came upon the scene.  There were no signs, no memorials, no commercialism- just foxholes where our boys fought through the freezing conditions.  To me, the lack of surrounding plaques, memorials, etc. made for a more powerful experience- highly recommended.

Foxhole remains outside of Bastogne

Another Foxhole

Verdun, France

WWI was horrific- the first war where man learned to kill on a "grand scale."  Perhaps nowhere is that better illustrated than Verdun.  Fought for almost all of 1916, it resulted in over 700,000 casualties.  Dwell on that for a minute.

As we drove through Verdun, we saw some of the strangest landscape we had ever seen.  Trees and grass grew throughout the battlefield, but the ground was grossly uneven, full of large, grass-filled holes.  Too erratic to be trenches, we soon realized that it was- these were all due to artillery shells.  It was unbelievable- hardly a spot was untouched.  We then came to the Douaumont ossuary, which houses the remains of 130,000 unknown soldiers.  Again, think about that number- 130,000 people they couldn't identify.  Words just don't do it justice.  In front of the ossuary is a large graveyard, also magnificent and heartbreaking.  Nearby is the monument to "Trench of Bayonets," commemorating a line of soldiers who, standing with rifles raised and bayonets fixed, were buried alive by artillery fire, the tips of their bayonets poking through the earth after the salvo.  Overall, Verdun was an experience I'll never forget.

A graveyard at Verdun (note Ossuary visible through fog in background)

The crater-strewn landscape

Note rusted rebar sticking out in the foreground

Tyne Cot War Graves, Belgium

Near Passendale, Belgium, Tyne Cot is the largest British war cemetery anywhere in the world, home to just under 12,000 soldiers from (mostly) Britain, but also Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and others.  Unlike their American counterparts, British war cemeteries feature more rectangular, "typical" headstone shapes, but the effect is just as humbling.  In the area you can tour a trench remnant- highly recommended.

Tyne Cot

A trench- note the poppies growing

Auschwitz, Poland

Not a battleground, but just as harrowing, the two concentration camps at Auschwitz (a decent drive from nearby Krakow) are reminders of the horrors inflicted upon the Jews.  The smaller camp (with the infamous "Arbeit macht frei" sign) converted many buildings to museums- walk in the "evidence" building and be prepared to cry.  The larger camp looks largely unchanged from 1945- and deliberately so.  A hell on Earth to many, this is one place you need to visit.

The infamous sign

Just inside the camp

Destroyed gas chamber- (rightly) fearing retribution, the Nazis destroyed it shortly before the camp was captured

The entrance to the larger Auschwitz camp

Maginot Line, France

I'll end on a "lighter" note.  The Maginot Line is a series of subterranean concrete fortifications that stretch for miles on the border of France and Germany- effectively, self-contained underground cities.  After WWI, fearing future German aggression, France decided to build these bunkers as added protection.  There was one (major) problem: they didn't build them all the way to the coast.  When the Germans invaded in WWII, they went around the Line.  A testament to both engineering achievement and human folly, the Maginot Line is a reminder that (among other things) doing things half-way is rather pointless.

Entrance to one of the bunkers

Inside one of the bunkers

There are many places to see in Europe that remind you of the horrors of war and the bravery of men- many more than could be captured in an article like this.  My overall recommendation is that you read on these events, dwell on the sacrifice of others, and honor those who fell by living life correctly.  Don't waste your life- many have given away theirs for your sake.