And, all this was undone less than 21 years later, when the French surrendered to the Germans in the same car, in the same spot. The car was taken to Berlin–and apparently was destroyed in the bombing of Berlin, and the monument to the signing of the Armistice was blown up.
The “War to end all war,” as our then president called it, engendered another, more horrible, war.
Nice pictures.
The Armistice, coupled with the Treaty of Versailles, sowed the seeds for WWII. That railroad car became a symbol of a dishonrable defeat to many Germans, especially veterans, who bought into the myth of the Dolchstoßlegende (stab in the back). Thus, once France was defeated in 1940, the car was taken first to Berlin, later to Thuringia and burned by the SS to total destruction. [corrected as to the Compiegne car’s disposition]
I thought they did, in fact, haul it back to Berlin as a trophy. Far more value in having it as a memento of revenge than just torching it after it had ‘served its purpose’.
I stand corrected as corrected. Do you have cites for the history of the car after 1940? I’d like to read the full details.
See correction above. As to citatations, I cannot recall specifics. Maybe Evans? I do recall reading that it was relocated to the Lustgarten in Berlin for display and later moved to a military base/Kz Lager near Gotha where the SS destroyed it.
In many parts of the world this is named Poppy Day, as per attached.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_poppy
My Father went Overseas in 1940, and returned.
Another relative came back in very poor shape.
After the War, we called it ‘Poppy Day’.
Thank You, to them, especially.
It was originally and mostly still is to commemorate the dead of The Great War, i.e., WWI. The poppy was associated with the poppies in Flanders fields (Belgium) scene of so many deaths.
Fear, hate, isolationism, nationalism, ethnicity and feelings of inferiority - all mixed together to create WW II.
Sounds too familiar in 2016.
Flanders Field was the work of a Canadian, and it was entensively used as a recruitment tool in that and other countries. One of the results is that red poppies are used as a rembrance symbol.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Anyone besides me find color photographs of Hitler to be a little scary? In black-and-white photos he’s in the past and safely dead. In color photos it’s like time has stopped and he’s still out there, somewhere.
Anyway, the late Elie Wiesel summed up Hitler better than anyone: “Even dead, this man is still terrifying.”
In the 1980s I bought the Minitrix N-scale Orient Express set and it’s of this era, the dining car in the set is an almost exact replica of this one.
Yep. I wondered if anyone would spot him.
Oh yeah. Everyone, if you click on the picture, and click on the (+) that comes up you’ll see Hermann Goering in his Lufwaffe field marshal’s uniform just to the right of Hitler, then (I think) Grand Admiral Eric Raeder of the German Navy. The others I’m not sure of.
I’m guessing the shot was taken right after Hitler left the car, leaving further surrender details with the French to Field Marshal Keitel and General Jodl as I don’t spot them in the group.
Here in Australia the poppy is used as a symbol on 11 November.
At the Australian War Memorial, just a block from my home, a large museum with a listing of the names of all war casualties, the poppies are used as markers next to the names. Somebody discovered (presumably on Remembrance Day) that the wire “stalk” of the poppy could be inserted into the joints in the cast bronze listing of the name. Now the wall is covered in poppies, an indication that the memorial is visited by relatives who look up the names on the wall.
Ironically, wild poppies grow in Australia in November. They are often seen alongside railway lines and I saw some last weekend. They are more orange in colour than the bright red artificial poppies used for Remembrance Day.
M636C
[quote user=“M636C”]
Thank You, Sir.
Being once part of the Dominion and singing God Save the King in school, before QE II, we received much regarding the War, and the contributions of so many, Overseas.
ANZAC comes to mind, the Burma-Siam Railway of the recent movie ‘The Railway Man’, I read the book a few years ago. The Fall of Singapore, India and the Raj and their troops, and the loss of so many Capital Ships. VCs Galore.
A sapper crew was sent to blow up the Great Goktiek Viaduct so it would not fall into Enemy hands. The signals got crossed, and it still stands today. Sent in Kit Form from USA C. 1903, w provision for second track on piers. Dreams!
( My Grandfather was employed @ Vickers Shipbuilding, and MLW, died 1928 and he left a wealth of books concerning bridges, Tay, Forth, Quebec and various Tunnels. )
Myself, a Son of the Empire, in ways and upbringing, from North of Hadrian’s Wall, which was erected to keep the Southerners out, I was told, pulling my leg, over Sunday Meal dressed Formal, Silver and Linen, and a Toast. NO elbows on the TABLE! at least once. Kids received Grape Juice.
Years ago, a relative broke his neck diving, just before JFK went to Dallas, and he was in hospital and care the rest of his life. He Died, A BLESSING, last Dec. 28 th.
Anyway, for a while he was in a Veterans’ Hospital, as they needed the space elsewhere. There were Vets in there who had Served in the Boer War, and some that were Gassed in WW I. We had a Section Foreman who Liberated Belsen. He’s gone, too. Cancer, and I cried in my truck, a Chev, Thanks Dinah! when I saw him the day before he went.
Nothing changes, does it
Thank You, Again, to so many.
P.S. Poppies grow here, and, in Fall I go around cutting off the Pods, and removing the seeds. Have some in a jar in the cupboard from last year.
[quote user=“NDG”]
[quote user=“M636C”]
Thank You, Sir.
Being once part of the Dominion and singing God Save the King in school, before QE II, we received much regarding the War, and the contributions of so many, Overseas.
ANZAC comes to mind, the Burma-Siam Railway of the recent movie ‘The Railway Man’, I read the book a few years ago. The Fall of Singapore, India and the Raj and their troops, and the loss of so many Capital Ships. VCs Galore.
A sapper crew was sent to blow up the Great Goktiek Viaduct so it would not fall into Enemy hands. The signals got crossed, and it still stands today. Sent in Kit Form from USA C. 1903, w provision for second track on piers. Dreams!
( My Grandfather was employed @ Vickers Shipbuilding, and MLW, died 1928 and he left a wealth of books concerning bridges, Tay, Forth, Quebec and various Tunnels. )
Myself, a Son of the Empire, in ways and upbringing, from North of Hadrian’s Wall, which was erected to keep the Southerners out, I was told, pulling my leg, over Sunday Meal dressed Formal, Silver and Linen, and a Toast. NO elbows on the TABLE! at least once. Kids received Grape Juice.
Years ago, a relative broke his neck diving, just before JFK went to Dallas, and he was in hospital and care the rest of his life. He Died, A BLESSING, last Dec. 28 th.
Anyway, for a while he was in a Veterans’ Hospital, as they needed the space elsewhere. There were Vets in there who had Served in the Boer War, and some that were Gassed in WW I. We had a Section Foreman who Liberated Belsen. He’s gone, too. Cancer, and I cried in my truck, a Chev, Thanks Dinah! when I saw him the day before he went.
Nothing changes, does it
Thank You, Again, to so many.
P.S. Poppies grow here, and, in Fall I go around cutting off the Pods, and removing the seeds. Have some in a jar in the cupboard from last year.
Life certainly is a Global Affair, as is War.
I hoped we could have designed an end to all that in my time.
Introspection, remorse and tiredness plague me, now.
Thank You.
A funeral for a WW-2 vet who served both in the British army and then the US army had both the British last post and American taps played. Wish had a link to the British that could post here.
The British equivalent to “Taps” is called “The Last Post”: