Newsletter

‘Les Tiges’ National Cemetery at Saint-Dié des Vosges

La nécropole nationale "Les Tiges". © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Les Tiges_Saint-Die

 

In 1914, after being evacuated by the Germans, the region of Saint-Dié was the scene of violent battles for control of the mountains and the upper ground, which could be used as vantage points. The most violent battles were waged at the Tête-du-Violu, Tête-des-Faux, as well as at the Sainte-Marie-aux Mines, Bagenelles Bonhomme mountain passes. On 27 August 1914, the Germans took Saint-Dié.

Built in1920, ‘Les Tiges’ National Cemetery contains the bodies of 2,608 French soldiers, 1,182 of whom are buried in two ossuaries. After being further developed in 1924, this cemetery contains the bodies of soldiers killed during the Vosges Campaign, primarily during the battles of La Fontenelle and La Chipotte. These bodies were exhumed from makeshift military cemeteries in the surrounding areas. In 1927, a memorial to the soldiers of the 11th Infantry Regiment and the 51st Alpine Hunters Battalion killed in August 1914 was erected in the centre of the cemetery.

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

Saint-Dié
À 80 km au sud-est de Nancy, sur la RN 420

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Summary

Eléments remarquables

Monument aux morts, 1914-18 -Stèle aux morts des 11e et 51e BCA tombés en août 1914

Villé French national war cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Villé. © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Ville

 

The national war cemetery of Villé contains the remains of soldiers who died for France during the battles that took place in the Vosges. Established in 1924, this cemetery gathers together the bodies of 281 French servicemen including 62 placed in individual graves. The remains of 219 servicemen were placed in an ossuary. Alongside these soldiers are also buried ten Russian prisoners, 9 of which were placed in an ossuary, and one British soldier.

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

67507 Villé
À l’ouest de Saint-Dié, D 424, D 39

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Saales French national war cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Saales. © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Saales

 

The national war cemetery of Saales contains the bodies of soldiers who died for France during the fighting that took place during the summer of 1914, in vallée de la Bruche. Created and in 1921 and extended in 1924, this military cemetery brings together the bodies of 36 French soldiers who served with the 14th and 21st Army Corps. Ten of these soldiers were buried in individual graves and 26 were placed in an ossuary.

 

Containing the remains of French soldiers, the Saales war cemetery is characteristic of military cemeteries from the beginning of the First World War, and the treatment of the deceased soldiers. Indeed at that time, officers were usually buried in individual graves, while the troops were buried in mass graves. This principle lasted until 1915, but the use of individual graves was extended to all soldiers. The law of 29 December 1915 accorded all soldiers who died for France the right to be buried in an individual grave.

 

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

Saales
Au nord-est de Saint-Dié, D 37, N 420

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Summary

Eléments remarquables

Monument aux morts 1914-1918

Ban-de-Sapt National Cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Ban-de-Sapt. © Guillaume Pichard

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_necropole_Ban-de-Sapt

 

Located in Ban-de-Sapt, La Fontenelle National Cemetery holds the remains of soldiers who died for France during the battles for La Fontenelle from 1914 to 1918. Established from 1921 to 1923, the cemetery also contains the bodies of soldiers from cemeteries in La Vercoste, Martignon, Huguenet, Floquet, La Croix de Gemainfaing, Hermanpaire, Denipaire and Celles-sur-Plaine. Covering 117,635 sqm, this cemetery holds the remains of nearly 1,400 soldiers, including over 400 in the ossuary. Following a public subscription launched in Vosges, a monument made of local pink sandstone and designed by the sculptor Emile-Just Bachelet, was erected on 15 August 1925 in memory of the soldiers of the Vosges.

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

Ban-de-Sapt
Au nord de Saint-Dié, D 49

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Summary

Eléments remarquables

Monument "Aux soldats des Vosges", 1914-1918

Senones National Cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Senones. © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Senones

 

Built in 1920 and further developed up until 1935, Senones National Cemetery is home to the bodies of 818 Germans, 795 French, 372 of whom are buried in two ossuaries, eleven Romanians, six Romanians and six Russians killed in the region of Upper Alsace After the Great War, the remains of soldiers buried in various makeshift cemeteries in the Senones, Ménil, Moyenmoutier, Petite-Raon and La Forain areas were moved to this cemetery.

The town of Senones found itself in the firing line between 1914 and 1918.  The heavy bombing caused huge destruction and many civilian casualties. Consequently, Senones was awarded the 1914-1918 War Cross.

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

Senones
À 70 km au sud-est de Nancy, sur la RN 42

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Summary

Eléments remarquables

Croix monumentale, 1914-1918

Plaine French national war cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Plaine. © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Plaine

 

The national war cemetery of Plaine contains the bodies of soldiers who died for France during the fighting that took place during the summer of 1914, in vallée de la Bruche and during the liberation of the Colmar Pocket (1944-1945).

Begun in 1919 then extended in 1924 to bring together the temporary cemeteries of Schirmeck, la Broque and Colroy-la-Roche, this war cemetery contains the bodies of 1,487 French soldiers, 214 of which were placed in individual graves. Among these men, 54 British soldiers and 33 Russians are buried, 17 of which in a common grave. The remains of 1,273 servicemen were placed in three ossuaries.

In 1954, the bodies of 138 soldiers who died during the Battle of France in 1940 or the liberation of Plaine 1944-1945 were brought there.

In 1923, an equestrian statue of Joan of Arc was erected in the centre of the cemetery. Under the Nazi occupation, to avoid it being destroyed, this monument was buried in the cemetery and then reinstalled to its original location after the Liberation.

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address


Plaine

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Summary

Eléments remarquables

Monument équestre de Jeanne d'Arc commémorant le sacrifice des morts de la Grande Guerre

Grendelbruch French national war cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Grendelbruch. © Guillaume Pichard

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Grendelbruch

 

The national war cemetery of Grendelbruch contains the bodies of soldiers who died for France during the fighting that took place during the summer of 1914, in vallée de la Bruche and Muckenbach. Established in 1923, this cemetery contains 144 soldiers, in particular those of the 21st Army Corps, 107 of which were placed in an ossuary.

In the surrounding area, many remnants of bunkers and steles can still be seen, like the one erected at Muckenbach, commemorating the fighting of 17-18 August 1914 in Grendelbruch-Muckenbach.

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

Grendelbruch
Au sud-est de Wisches, sur la route de Muckenbach par la N 420

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Wisches French national war cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Wisches. © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Wisches

 

The national war cemetery of Wisches contains the bodies of soldiers who died for France during the fighting that took place during the summer of 1914, in vallée de la Bruche and at Schirmeck. Established in 1924, this national cemetery brings together 504 bodies, 60 of which were placed in individual graves. The remains of 444 soldiers were placed in two ossuaries. In the surrounding area, many remnants of bunkers and steles can still be seen.

Containing the remains of French soldiers, the Wisches war cemetery is characteristic of military cemeteries from the beginning of the First World War, and the treatment of the deceased soldiers. Indeed at that time, officers were usually buried in individual graves, while the troops were buried in mass graves. This principle lasted until 1915, but the use of individual graves was extended to all soldiers. The law of 29 December 1915 accorded all soldiers who died for France the right to be buried in an individual grave.

 

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address


Wisches

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Grandfontaine French national war cemetery "Le Donon"

La nécropole nationale de Grandfontaine. © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Grandfontaine

 

The national war cemetery of Donon in Grandfontaine contains the bodies of soldiers who died for France during the fighting that took place during the summer of 1914, in vallée de la Bruche and at Schirmeck. Created in 1923, this war cemetery brought together the bodies of 300 soldiers, in particular those of the 21st Army Corps. Two ossuaries hold the remains of 110 infantrymen and those of 72 infantry and sappers. The other soldiers (182) are buried in individual graves. In 1954, the bodies of 24 French soldiers who died during 1939-1945 were buried there.

Inside the cemetery, an imposing stone monument is dedicated to the officiers, sous-officiers et soldats - Combats du Donon 21-22 août 1914. In the surrounding area, many remnants of bunkers and headstones can still be seen.

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

Grandfontaine
À 60 km au sud-ouest de Strasbourg, sur la D 392

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Summary

Eléments remarquables

Monument aux morts du combat de Donon, 21-22 août 1914

Badonviller French national war cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Badonviller. © ECPAD

 

Pour accéder au panneau d'information de la nécropole, cliquer ici vignette_Badonviller

 

The national war cemetery of Badonviller contains the bodies of soldiers killed at Vosges or Haute-Alsace. Established between 1920 and 1935, this cemetery holds 2,653 bodies, 1,444 of which were laid to rest in individual graves, and 1,209 in two ossuaries. Alongside these soldiers are also buried 28 soldiers who were killed in the Second World War. In the centre of this war cemetery stands a monument designed by the sculptor Antoine Sartorio (1885-1988, dedicated to the memory of the men of the 363rd Infantry Regiment.

 

> Return to results

Practical information

Address

Badonviller
À l’est de Lunéville, D 992

Weekly opening hours

Visites libres toute l’année

Summary

Eléments remarquables

Monument aux morts tombés au col de la Chapelotte