Once upon a time, Oradour-sur-Glane was a typical rural French village, with homes, shops, and streets that all reflected everyday civilian life before World War II reshaped Europe. It was perfectly ordinary.
According to the National WW2 Museum, the village was abandoned in 1944 when Nazi forces entered it and massacred 642 people before burning what was left to the ground.
After such an atrocity, human interference in Oradour-sur-Glane has been very minimal. The ruins have been slowly reclaimed by grass, trees, and flowers, preserving it as a permanent memorial.
According to the National WW2 Museum, the village was abandoned in 1944 when Nazi forces entered it and massacred 642 people before burning what was left to the ground.
After such an atrocity, human interference in Oradour-sur-Glane has been very minimal. The ruins have been slowly reclaimed by grass, trees, and flowers, preserving it as a permanent memorial.