INQUIRY – One hundred and ten years after the start of the First World War, hundreds of thousands of war graves are now in ruins. The association Le Souvenir français is working hard to maintain these remnants of the conflict, neglected by families and local authorities.
This article is taken from Figaro Magazine.
A brisk wind is blowing across the rooftops ofAuvers-sur-Oise. The granite crosses of the communal cemetery stand high above this affluent commune north of Paris. A small group of tourists flock here to admire the graves of Vincent Van Goghthe famous Dutch impressionist who chose this town as his final resting place.
A few tombs away, a thicket of weeds drowns under its leaves a rusty iron cross that wavers with each gust of wind. The headstone supporting it is barely visible, so eaten away is it by moss. On the base, an enamel escutcheon in the faded colors of the French flag hangs by a single screw.
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Its occupant, whose surname was illegible, also helped shape the history of Auvers-sur-Oise. “Fallen in 1916. Mort pour la France” (Died for France), the inscription on the stele can only be deciphered with difficulty, as you pass your hand through the grooves in the letters, almost…
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