La Cambe German War Cemetery

So beautiful, artistic, and yet so sad. Stoic. Inside the small visitor center are some faces and stories to put to the names on the graves, along with other non German victims of war. Washrooms outside. Free and free parking.

A very peaceful and respectful place. After all this war should never have happened and these lives should not have been lost. It is a place everyone should visit and honour our fallen. After all, their sacrifice gave us our freedom. In the centre is a large tumulus or mound of earth which is a mass grave for 207 unknown and 89 identified German soldiers. On the top is a large dark cross made from basalt lava, flanked by two statues. La Cambe which is a Second World War German military war grave cemetery, located close to the American landing beach of Omaha. It is the largest German war cemetery in Normandy and contains the remains of over 21,200 German military personnel. Initially, American and German dead were buried in adjacent fields but American dead were later disinterred and either returned to the US or re-interred at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, 15 km (9.3 mi) away. In 1954, the Franco-German War Graves Agreement ratified that the Reinterment Commission of the Volksbund could move over 12,000 German bodies where moved from approximately 1,400 field burials across Normandy to La Cambe. During the removals many previously anonymous German soldiers were identified giving them the honour and respect the deserved. Free to visit and plenty of parking even for campers. Tourist information on site also.

Vast and important German War Cemetery in Normandy, originally the site of a US burial ground in 1944. Many of those buried here happy to fight and die for the Nazi regime but important to visit to understand the German side of the Second World War. There are over 21,000 burials here.

Visited the Normandy German Cemetery today. A somber and moving place. Seeing so many young lives lost was heartbreaking. It reminds us how deeply war affects all sides, and how important it is to learn from history to build a more peaceful future.

World War II was a pivotal event in history, marked by immense sacrifice and loss. This cemetery serves as a solemn tribute to those who fought and gave their lives during the conflict. It stands as a place of remembrance, honoring the bravery and resilience of those who never returned home. The serene and peaceful atmosphere offers a stark contrast to the turmoil they endured, providing a final resting place where they may now find the peace that eluded them in life.

If you come by, make sure you spend some time in the visitor's center. They have many personal stores of the people buried in the cemetery. Reading them, shows the complexity and humanity of history. Don't miss it.

We learned that this German cemetery was built years after the end of the war. Originally a US cemetery, the American dead were later shipped home for burial. The 21,245 soldiers buried here now were reinterred from all over the area. This is NOT about glorifying any cause it is a respectful display of the immense human toll from war and we feel very well presented

A poignant resting place for the German soldiers who died during D Day landing and the Normandy Campaign…a bit off the road from the Universally popular US Cemetary at Omaha Beach…the inscriptions say that it was made from donations from all round the world …the memorial is made out of Basalt…a good place to realise Death is the ultimate victor regardless of Nationality Caste Creed or Purpose