- ✝ This post is dedicated to the fallen of both World Wars, the conflicts before, in the lead up to the large conflicts we cover here at KB41 Collection but also to the fallen more recent conflicts and respect to the armed service men and women of today. We Will Remember them. - This Post is accompanied by a Flanders Field Poppy and a Blue Cornflour, representing Remembrance, the Cornflour a Remembrance symbol of France ✝ -
The Photograph here shows various men of the German Forces, interspersed with civilians, seen standing around the Eternal Flame on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier underneath "L'Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile", standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. This photograph, likely taken in November 1940 as a part of the Occupation of France.
You can see what appears to be Wehrmacht soldiers of both the Deutschesheer and Luftwaffe, standing around the eternal flame (it is lit, although not visible in the photo) The inscription, "ICI REPOSE UN SOLDAT FRANÇAIS MORT POUR LA PATRIE 1914–1918 ("Here lies a French soldier who died for the fatherland 1914–1918").
Almost all the allied nations of WW1 laid to rest, in the same respectful and meaningful way, an unknown soldier, with earth from the main battles of the war . The British Unknown Warrior is buried in Westminister Abbey, London, and contains 100 sandbags of earth from the battlefields of France and Belgium. The Coffin contains both the Victoria Cross & The Congressional Medal of Honour, as well as Altercloths and a personal message from King George V. The significance of the unidentified soldier shows just how many people lost their life in the conflict and with this the significance of his death and burial serves as a symbol of remembrance and dedication to all that fell in the war.
This photograph showing the members of the Wehrmacht, in a newly occupied and foreign country showing their respects to the fallen of a previous war. Their enemy in the First World War and also now the Second, it shows the mutual respect that there was from Germany of the fallen soldiers of France. This is seen in other similar photographs of soldiers visiting other memorials and war graves from previous conflicts. The ties of World War One leading to the start of World War Two, its representative of the respect held for life of the fallen and shows the respect beyond the Uniform and nation. In summary it is what modern day remembrance is, the remembering and respect paid for the loss of life for both sides across conflicts. A Crisp photograph showing Wehrmacht and local civilians showing their respect to the fallen.
From everyone here at KB41 Collection we would like to thank you for your continued support, We share and breathe new life to forgotten stories and history from unpublished photographs and related documents.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them