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| Oradour-sur-Glane: Uproar after France Nazi massacre site vandalised | Oradour-sur-Glane: Uproar after France Nazi massacre site vandalised |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned as "unspeakable" the defacing of a memorial at the site of one of the worst atrocities carried out by the Nazis in France during World War Two. | French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned as "unspeakable" the defacing of a memorial at the site of one of the worst atrocities carried out by the Nazis in France during World War Two. |
| Images of an inscription at the site in the village of Oradour-sur-Glane show the word "martyr" in the text "martyr village" replaced with "liar". | Images of an inscription at the site in the village of Oradour-sur-Glane show the word "martyr" in the text "martyr village" replaced with "liar". |
| The village was destroyed by SS troops in 1944, with 642 inhabitants killed. | The village was destroyed by SS troops in 1944, with 642 inhabitants killed. |
| The old village's ruins are preserved just as they were after the massacre. | The old village's ruins are preserved just as they were after the massacre. |
| After the war, a new village was built nearby. | |
| Philippe Lacroix, the mayor of Oradour-sur-Glane, said he was shocked, adding: "We know what happened here but obviously there are always people who try to tell lies." | |
| Mr Macron said that everything would be done to track down and punish those responsible for the vandalism. | Mr Macron said that everything would be done to track down and punish those responsible for the vandalism. |
| The act has been widely condemned by French officials. | The act has been widely condemned by French officials. |
| Prime Minister Jean Castex said he felt "anger" when he heard of the incident. "To soil this place... is also to soil the memory of our martyrs," he said. | Prime Minister Jean Castex said he felt "anger" when he heard of the incident. "To soil this place... is also to soil the memory of our martyrs," he said. |
| "Shame on those who did this," Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti tweeted. | "Shame on those who did this," Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti tweeted. |
| French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin described the vandalism as "spitting on the memory of our martyrs". | French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin described the vandalism as "spitting on the memory of our martyrs". |
| What happened to the village? | What happened to the village? |
| On 10 June 1944, a detachment of SS troops surrounded the tiny hamlet of Oradour-sur-Glane in the Limousin region of south-central France. | On 10 June 1944, a detachment of SS troops surrounded the tiny hamlet of Oradour-sur-Glane in the Limousin region of south-central France. |
| It is believed by some that the troops were seeking retribution for the kidnap of a German soldier but some say that resistance members were based in a different, nearby village. | It is believed by some that the troops were seeking retribution for the kidnap of a German soldier but some say that resistance members were based in a different, nearby village. |
| Most of the victims were women and children. Many of them were herded into a local church into which hand grenades were thrown before it was set on fire. | Most of the victims were women and children. Many of them were herded into a local church into which hand grenades were thrown before it was set on fire. |
| The men were locked in a barn. Machine-gunners shot at their legs, then doused them in petrol and set them alight. | The men were locked in a barn. Machine-gunners shot at their legs, then doused them in petrol and set them alight. |
| An investigation years later saw some 60 soldiers brought to trial in the 1950s. Twenty of them were convicted but all were later released. | An investigation years later saw some 60 soldiers brought to trial in the 1950s. Twenty of them were convicted but all were later released. |