Utah Beach and the German WWII Memorial
Hello! After we left Bayeux, we made our way to Utah Beach. Utah Beach is the most western of the five beaches where soldiers landed. It was the second landing spot for Americans. It had the least casualties, numbering 197, who were either killed or wounded. We spent our time at Utah Beach going through the museum. While I wouldn't say, the girls were excited to see all the war memorials. I felt they did a good job of being engaged and asking questions. I am not sure how much they really understood, but I was watching a new reel where they interviewed a WWII soldier, and he said they had no concept of what war was until they experienced it for themselves. As I sit here thinking, I am OK with them not understanding, as no one should understand war. I am OK with them being innocent for as long as possible. After leaving Utah Beach and returning to our Air B&B, we drove to the German Memorial. I felt conflicted about visiting the memorial as they were the enemy. They were the ones who captured my Great Uncle Bennett, and at the same time, they were just boys. Boys who didn't have much choice whether they fought or not. They were brothers, sons, and husbands. As far as I know, my husband does not have any family who are buried at this sight. It is possible, though, as we are just starting to dive into his genealogy, which is a little harder to access. Well, I better run! The sun has come out, so we might go on a walk. Wishing everyone an excellent 4th of July! We have no plans to celebrate as it is not a holiday here in Germany. We would have driven over an hour to see fireworks; however, I am okay with not doing that. We will celebrate next year!
One more note: the black crosses at the German cemetery are supposed to represent their lack of innocence..
Comments
Learned something from you today about the black crosses and their meaning.
Near my hometown is a HUGE German cemetery: Ysselsteyn 124 WWI 31,511 WWII graves and indeed, they are black. Don't agree with that statement as those kids (many were teens!) had absolutely no say. They were as much a victim of some crazy ruler as the enemy was.
Pieter often cited stories of German soldiers that stayed in their home (they had the right to do so) and were talking amongst each other. One said: you don't talk like that the evening before you die... Next day Pieter and his brothers found them, blown up with bloated bellies.
It is so immensely sad to live through any war!
Indeed, let kids be innocent and remain a child.
Pieter's youth got so much impacted by all he saw and witnessed from age 11–16.
Oh, my German friend Marlene with her fiancée were coming to visit us when I was 16. Dad was furious and said: No German under my roof! Till I pleaded with him while I sat on his lap and ask him how he could hate Marlene as she was not even born? Of course I won and I did take my Parents to visit Marlene's Parents. Her Dad was crippled from a severe wound in his hip, obtained in Russia.
Dad got cured and he said: they suffered as much on their side as on the enemy's side.
Let's pray that we don't have to live through any real war!
Hugs,
Mariette
https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2022/07/husband-pieters-1994-4th-of-july-speech.html
Un abrazo.