Israelite Memorial at Fleury-devant-Douaumont

[Christina Holstein]

The big Israelite memorial at Verdun to Jewish volunteers, both from France and oversees, who died in the Great War, was desecrated last Thursday by being spray-painted with neonazi slogans and swasktikas. It was immediately cleaned and by Friday lunchtime the only trace of the desecration was some large clean areas on the monument.

The action caused considerable indignation in the Verdun area and there is a plan for an ecumenical demonstration by the monument at the end of the week. I've no further news.

On 9th May there were three formal wreaths laid at the momument (for armistice day in France on 8th May), plus two private bouquets, one of roses and one of lily of the valley which is in full flower in the ravines at the moment. The tyre marks on the grass along the edge of the road by the momument showed that lots of people had stopped to have a look.

Christina