Upon entering the cemetery, and looking across acres and acres of engraved stone crosses marking the graves of 44830 German soldiers, I was overwhelmed by sadness and I am not ashamed to say that this sight moved me to tears. I am not a pacifist, nor am I a religious man, the sheer scale of human misery and suffering that this war brought upon Nations and their people was vast and questionable. It does not matter that in this case, these were 'the enemy', these dead solders were sons, brothers, fathers.......killed in a most brutal and violent manner.............and all for what?
War is savage, and as Albert Schweitzer (Nobel Peace Prize Laureate) said, "The soldiers' graves are the greatest preachers of peace."
This was not an 'easy' visit today, indeed it was quite unsettling, however I do believe that we have a duty to remember those that fought and gave their lives for their nations and their families, regardless of 'which side' they were on.
Plaque at the entrance to the cemetery
This is just a very small section of the cemetery
Each cross marked 4 named men, the day they were killed, and their bodies
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