INVESTIGATION – One hundred and ten years after the start of the First World War, hundreds of thousands of combatants' graves are now falling into ruin. The Le Souvenir français association works hard to maintain these remnants of the conflict, abandoned by families and communities.
This article comes from Figaro Magazine.
A brisk wind is blowing across the roofs of Auvers-sur-Oise this morning. Above this wealthy commune to the north of Paris stand the granite crosses of the communal cemetery. A small group of tourists flock there to admire the tomb of Vincent Van Gogh, the famous Dutch impressionist who chose this city as his final resting place.
A few graves further on, a jumble of weeds ends up drowning under its leaves a rusty iron cross which wavers with each gust. We can barely see the tombstone that supports it, as it is so eaten away by moss. On the base, an enamel badge in the faded colors of the French flag only hangs on a screw.
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Its occupant, with an illegible surname, also contributed to forging the history of Auvers-sur-Oise. “Fell on the field of honor in 1916. Died for France”, we decipher painfully on the stele by passing our hand through the grooves of the letters, almost…
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