French President Commemorates Deadly World War II Massacre

The destroyed Oradour-sur-Glane, central France. The town is today a phantom village, with burned-out cars and abandoned buildings left as testimony to its history. French President Emmanuel Macron has called on young people to remember past wars and use democratic means to fight against today's barbarities during a commemoration Saturday, June 10, 2017 at the site of the deadliest massacre in Nazi-occupied France. Macron told 500 children aged 12 to 16 in Oradour-sur-Glane in western France that "we would like to be able to say that from now on this happens away from home or that it no longer happens.


ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE, FRANCE (ASSOCIATED PRESS, JUNE 10, 2017) — French President Emmanuel Macron has called on young people to remember past wars and use democratic means to fight against today's barbarities during a commemoration at the site of the deadliest massacre in Nazi-occupied France.

Macron told 500 children, aged 12 to 16, on Saturday in Oradour-sur-Glane in western France that "we would like to be able to say that from now on this happens away from home or that it no longer happens. But Rwanda or Yugoslavia yesterday, Syria today. They are only a few hours by plane."

On June 10, 1944, an SS armored division herded villagers into barns and a church, and set them ablaze, killing 642 people. Only six survived. Macron slowly walked in the ruins, which are preserved as a testimony to Nazi horrors.