“Fallen but not forgotten” echoes in the stones of the Carré des militaires 1914-1918. This war memorial stands in the Cimetière de Vaugirard. It is located at 320 Rue Lecourbe Paris. Here lie soldiers who died for France.
Let’s step closer to the Carré des militaires 1914-1918 War memorial. The monument is a military square inside the cemetery. The Cimetière de Vaugirard is one of Paris’s oldest active cemeteries. It opened in 1787.
Consider the history etched into this ground. The Carré des militaires 1914-1918 War memorial is more than just a collection of graves. It’s a testament to sacrifice and remembrance. The cemetery has a large military section. It was created in 1882 for veterans of Les Invalides. It also includes many who died in the two World Wars.
The Carré des militaires 1914-1918 features the Monument Aux Invalides des armées françaises. This monument has a pyramid shape. It displays military symbols like swords and laurel palms. Granite plaques stand on each side of the obelisk. The plaques bear an epitaph. The other sides list the names of 48 war veterans buried in the ossuary.
Imagine the scene during the Great War. As early as the start of the Great War, the number of soldiers killed necessitated burying bodies near battle camps. In November 1914, there was a ban. It prohibited exhuming and transporting the bodies of soldiers killed by the enemy outside the army zone. Parisian military sections mainly received soldiers. They were transferred from the front. They died from injuries in the capital’s hospitals.
In 1915, the government declared national recognition for the dead. They created the “Mort pour la France” designation. They also established perpetual graves. The state paid for all soldiers who died during the war. This applied regardless of nationality.
After the war, the city council granted land concessions. These were for burying French and Allied soldiers. Concessions were made in the cemeteries of Pantin, Ivry, Bagneux, and Vaugirard. The Carré des militaires 1914-1918 War memorial is an important historical landmark.
Originally, the military sections looked different. Each grave had its own wooden cross or stele. Families added wreaths, flower baskets and other funerary items. In the 1930s, these ornaments were removed. Uniform and simple arrangements replaced them. This change helped with public maintenance.
The architect Jean-Camille Formigé designed the monument. The Hôtel de Ville library has a signed drawing by Formigé. It is dated for All Saints’ Day 1917.
Remember that Carré des militaires 1914-1918 War memorial stands as a reminder. It honors those who served and sacrificed. The monument serves as a place for reflection. It calls on us to remember the cost of war. Let us pay our respects.