Manof Chpt 27

PART II: MIDDLE GAME

Chapter 27

(One of the entrances to Oradour above, with all the markings of a quiet French village)

They had finished breakfast by sunrise. Constantin wished them a good trip and went off to the stables. He had glanced at the list Bruce showed him and circled a name of a dealer in Amboise. He explained that Karl Hellstrom was a Finnish historian who had an obsession with Da Vinci.

He pointed out that he was a self made millionaire who had profited by the post war need for supplies and had built an enormous chateau in the Amboise area to be near da Vinci's final resting place.

The master lay beneath the Chapelle St-Hubert on the grounds of the Royal Chateau where some of the kings of France once lived. Hellstrom was very active in the funding and policies of the Clos Luce where the master had lived. He was there almost daily rummaging around the cellars where Leonardo's inventions and mechanical sketches were housed. He and Jean had met many times.

"He's a wonderful host," Jean said, as he prepared to leave. "I'm certain you will learn a lot from him. Give him my best regards."

The cook prepared a large lunch basket with wine glasses and silver cutlery. The loaded car headed north.
"We'll go via St Junien. There are many nice chateaux on the way and I propose a stop in Oradour. Do you know anything about the town that was destroyed there?"

Bruce had not heard of it. Marie-Claude explained. "It was one of the great tragedies of the war. One day, everyone will know of the atrocities that took place there. Even if we stop, we can be in Amboise by this evening."

They were on the National 21. The Citroen covered the ground quickly at almost 50 MPH.

There was little that gave advance warning of Oradour. Suddenly there was small gate with a simple sign for what was once a village. Now it was a ruin; a ghost town; a place to remember. Bruce read a poster that explained that after the invasion of Normandy, the Germans were falling back along this route towards Paris. Two outriders on motorcycles had been shop by partisans.

When the army got here an order was given to round up all the villagers. The women and children were put into the church and the men were lined up in the streets. It took only a few hours. In retribution for the German deaths, the women were blown up in the church and the men were shot where they stood.

(A memorial in the Oradour-sur-Glane Cemetary to those who were murdered by the Germans)

Over 600 French men, women and children were senselessly slaughtered. Today, the village looked as it had when it was later discovered. The people's remains were buried nearby and visitors were asked to walk through the town in silence and to remember.

Marie-Claude explained. "The government wants to keep this village as they found it for people to see what was done during that war. They plan to put up a memorial museum near the site but that might take years."

They walked arm in arm along the main street. The buildings were so badly destroyed that it was impossible to tell what they were used for. In one building there was a charred sewing machine. In another there were the remains of a car.

Along the main street the original street car wired hung silently. There were no other visitors there that day. As they drove away they saw the beginnings of a new Oradour being built within a stone's throw of the old town.

(Click here for Chapter 28)


	PART II: MIDDLE GAME Chapter 27 (One of the entrances to Oradour above, with all the markings of a quiet French village) They had finished breakfast by sunrise. Constantin wished them a good trip and went off to the stables. He had glanced at the list Bruce showed him and circled a name of a dealer in Amboise. He explained that Karl Hellstrom was a Finnish historian who had an obsession with Da Vinci. He pointed out that he was a self made millionaire who had profited by the post war need for supplies and had built an enormous chateau in the Amboise area to be near da Vinci's final resting place. The master lay beneath the Chapelle St-Hubert on the grounds of the Royal Chateau where some of the kings of France once lived. Hellstrom was very active in the funding and policies of the Clos Luce where the master had lived. He was there almost daily rummaging around the cellars where Leonardo's inventions and mechanical sketches were housed. He and Jean had met many times. "He's a wonderful host," Jean said, as he prepared to leave. "I'm certain you will learn a lot from him. Give him my best regards." The cook prepared a large lunch basket with wine glasses and silver cutlery. The loaded car headed north. "We'll go via St Junien. There are many nice chateaux on the way and I propose a stop in Oradour. Do you know anything about the town that was destroyed there?" Bruce had not heard of it. Marie-Claude explained. "It was one of the great tragedies of the war. One day, everyone will know of the atrocities that took place there. Even if we stop, we can be in Amboise by this evening." They were on the National 21. The Citroen covered the ground quickly at almost 50 MPH. There was little that gave advance warning of Oradour. Suddenly there was small gate with a simple sign for what was once a village. Now it was a ruin; a ghost town; a place to remember. Bruce read a poster that explained that after the invasion of Normandy, the Germans were falling back along this route towards Paris. Two outriders on motorcycles had been shop by partisans. When the army got here an order was given to round up all the villagers. The women and children were put into the church and the men were lined up in the streets. It took only a few hours. In retribution for the German deaths, the women were blown up in the church and the men were shot where they stood. (A memorial in the Oradour-sur-Glane Cemetary to those who were murdered by the Germans) Over 600 French men, women and children were senselessly slaughtered. Today, the village looked as it had when it was later discovered. The people's remains were buried nearby and visitors were asked to walk through the town in silence and to remember. Marie-Claude explained. "The government wants to keep this village as they found it for people to see what was done during that war. They plan to put up a memorial museum near the site but that might take years." They walked arm in arm along the main street. The buildings were so badly destroyed that it was impossible to tell what they were used for. In one building there was a charred sewing machine. In another there were the remains of a car. Along the main street the original street car wired hung silently. There were no other visitors there that day. As they drove away they saw the beginnings of a new Oradour being built within a stone's throw of the old town. (Click here for Chapter 28)