On 10 June 1944, 642 inhabitants of a French village, from a new-born to a ninety year old, were executed by members of the Das Reich Division.

On 10 June 1944, 642 inhabitants of a French village, from a new-born to a ninety year old, were executed by members of the Das Reich Division.

Four days previously, the Allies had launched the liberation of Europe with D-Day. And for the last few months, the French Resistance had stepped up its sabotage. 

German retaliation was brutal. During that time the sight of French bodies hung from trees and telegraph poles was not uncommon.

The group responsible for the crimes committed at Oradour was the Der Führer regiment, a branch of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich.

 Das Reich arrived in France as a reserve unit in January 1944 after spending two years on the Eastern Front, where they engaged in combat and were responsible for putting down Soviet partisan resistance.

Das Reich was under the command of SS-Obergruppenführer (Major General) Heinz Bernhard Lammerding.

 During his time on the Eastern Front, Lammerding ordered several retaliations against Soviet citizens for real or perceived partisan actions. These retaliations involved the murder of tens of thousands of Soviet civilians along with the torching of numerous villages.

Following the June 6 Allied invasion in Normandy, Das Reich was assigned a new mission to support German forces fighting in northern France.

The Division also received orders to put down any maquis (guerilla bands of French Resistance fighters) while simultaneously intimidating the population and reasserting German control over central and southern France. Once orders were received, the Division began to move north towards Normandy.

The reason for the German attack on Oradour remains unknown. After the incident, the German high command released an explanation stating insurgents had attacked the Division, resulting in fighting which killed the civilians. 

A common explanation was that Lammerding received word the villagers were assisting the resistance by aiding with the kidnapping of SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) Helmut Kämpfe, a decorated Nazi officer who was assassinated by the French Resistance.

This is contradictory to the survivors’ testimonies that stated Oradour was in no way involved with the Resistance. 

Some historians believe the Oradour massacre was in response to Kämpfe’s assassination, while others believe that Oradour was just an unfortunate stop the Division made on the way to Normandy.

A majority of the SS men involved never stood trial, as many died in the battles following D-Day.

Women and children were placed into the church. The men were separated into different buildings. All were then executed.

Under French orders, the village has never been rebuilt. And remains largely as it was the day its people were massacred.