Lost in the quiet of the Vaugirard Cemetery lies the Carré Militaire a poignant reminder of sacrifice. This is not just a place of burial. It is a testament to the French soldiers who perished during World War I. The Carré Militaire holds a pyramidal monument. It’s adorned with military symbols like a sword and laurel branch. Granite plaques flank the obelisk. The front plaques bear an epitaph. The other three sides list the names of 48 war invalids buried in the ossuary.
The Carré Militaire’s story begins with the First World War. The sheer number of fallen soldiers necessitated burials near battlefields. In November 1914 an order forbade exhuming soldiers near enemy lines. Parisian military squares received soldiers transferred from the front. They died from wounds in the capital’s hospitals.
In 1915 the government decreed a national tribute to the dead. The phrase ‘Mort pour la France’ was created. Perpetual burials at state expense were mandated for all soldiers who died regardless of nationality. After the war the municipal council granted land in Parisian cemeteries. This was for the burial of French and Allied soldiers. The cemeteries involved included those in Pantin Ivry Bagneux and Vaugirard.
Initially each grave in the Carré Militaire was unique. Families added personal touches crosses wooden steles wreaths flowers and other funeral objects. In the 1930s this was deemed unsustainable. A simpler uniform approach was adopted. This is the style seen today.
The monument itself was designed by Jean-Camille Formigé. He created a design for an obelisk. This was decorated with military symbols. A drawing is preserved at the Hôtel de Ville library. Formigé made a temporary wooden model in 1919. The final stone monument was erected later.
The Carré Militaire in the Vaugirard Cemetery serves as a powerful memorial. It reflects the profound impact of the Great War. It reminds us of the immense loss and the nation’s enduring respect for its fallen soldiers. It is a place where history’s whispers endure in the quiet solemnity of this Parisian military square.