As our time in Normandy came to an end, I was able to reflect on the many World War II sites we had been able to experience – from touring the countless D-Day museums to stepping foot onto the infamous sites of Omaha Beach and Point du Hoc – the themes of death and closure were nearly inescapable. However, our visits to the German, American, and British cemeteries were what really stood out to me. Unlike at the beaches that were once bloodied and immersed in battle, there was no imagination needed while at the solemn burial grounds. At all three cemeteries, well-manicured lawns were lined with thousands (and in the German’s case, tens of thousands) of tombstones. We could not escape this reality. There was no need to close your eyes and think of the constant gunfire raining onto the amphibious tanks and countless soldiers wading through the now-calm waters of the English Channel en route to attack the Nazi forces that were waiting behind the Atlantic Wall as was the case with the beaches. There were just tombstones.
Seeing the aforementioned countries’ respective cemeteries was something that immediately raised discussions amongst our group, especially when comparing each site from the other. The German cemetery was solemn and stark, and within its simple and arguably grim visitor’s centers the themes of reflection on past mistakes and the pursuance of peace were unmistakable. The simple stone pathway was lined by countless brown grave markers and sectioned off by crosses, all leading towards the central cross memorial that was perched upon a mound overlooking the French countryside. There was no pomp or circumstance – I’m not even sure if I saw a single German flag hanging on the premises – and each grave was simple in its nature, listing only the soldier’s name, rank, date of birth, and date of death.
Panorama of the German Cemetery
From the Entrance of the German Cemetary
In contrast, the American cemetery embodied the definition of pomp and circumstance – from its grand memorials honoring the fallen and unknown soldiers to the playing of the National Anthem – the freshly cut lawn overlooking the beach was dotted with perfectly linear headstones of crosses (and a few Stars of David) that, similar to the minimal information provided on each of the German tombs, were simple in comparison to the grandeur of the site as a whole (including the American cemetery’s security presence upon entrance into the extensive visitor’s center).
Tombstones at the American Cemetery
Memorial at the American Cemetery
Lastly, was the British cemetery, which unlike the other sites, was situated on somewhat of a busy street and lacked the presence of a visitor’s center. Yet, the British cemetery was by far the most serene to visit. Although it was simple and smaller than those we had visited before, it was by far the most personal and moving. Rather than the dull brown grave markers on the grass in the German cemetery or the stark juxtaposition of the while headstones against the grass in the American cemetery, the British cemetery was lined with flowers throughout. Moreover, each tombstone was personalized with the fallen soldier’s specific age at the time of death and more often than not, included messages from their families engraved as well. Another aspect that really resonated with me was the subtlety of religion in the British cemetery, with the headstone shape varying by country of origin – although it was a British cemetery, Poles and Germans were also buried there as well, and had differing shapes to denote that – and only included religious symbols in specific instances rather than for all buried there. By including each soldier’s age and the usage of epitaphs, the British cemetery required no imagination either. There it was, no math required; engraved on each tomb, the inclusion of the age of the fallen (whom more often than not were hauntingly younger than I) was a visual I simply could not shake. The British cemetery required no pomp and circumstance, and although it wasn’t high up on a hill overlooking a picturesque scene as the others had, it spoke the loudest. Our visits to the German, American, and British cemeteries of Normandy are something that I will continue to reflect on for the remainder of this trip, and how the understand homage to the fallen by the British overpowered even the starkest of German surroundings and the most formal of American memorials.
Entrance to the British Cemetery
A Personalized Tombstone at the British Cemetery also Depicting the Flower-Lined Graves