The American cemetery

In 1941-1944, the town, like the rest of the Moselle region integrated into the Gau Westmark, paid a heavy price for the war, with the evacuation of the population to Sommières-du-Clain, Couhé-Vérac and Gençay, the looting of heritage, Nazi dictatorship, persecution of the Jewish community, deprivation and bombings, including the devastating one on November 9, 1944.

On March 12, 1945, the Americans erected a temporary cemetery here, which in 1947 became the permanent Lorraine American Cemetery, the largest World War II American cemetery in Europe, with 10,489 graves. Soldiers and airmen are buried here. Most fell in battles in the border regions and during the conquest of the Rhine.

In 1998, the town lost its military vocation when the last soldiers left. Much of the town's real estate was then used for industrial conversion.

Every year since 1946, Memorial Day has been celebrated on the last Sunday in May to pay tribute to all these soldiers.  

Good to know:
The cemetery is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Website: https: //www.abmc.gov/Lorraine