La Cambe German war cemetery, one of 6 German cemeteries in Normandy
The German military cemetery at La Cambe is one of six German military cemeteries in Normandy; it contains the remains of 21,222 German soldiers killed during the Second World War.
Designed in the mid-1950s by Robert Tischler, chief architect of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (German War Graves Commission), it covers 7 hectares and is organised in 49 rectangular plots, each containing 400 graves arranged around a central cairn.
The graves are marked by headstones laid flat on the ground. Granite crosses, grouped in fives, are scattered throughout the cemetery, which is planted with numerous oak and beech trees.
After the war, the American War Graves Service created two cemeteries side-by-side at La Cambe to bury American and German soldiers who fell between June and August 1944.
While the remains of the American soldiers were later either repatriated to their hometowns or interred in the Colleville-sur-Mer cemetery, those of the 8,000 German soldiers remained in the temporary cemetery at La Cambe.
In 1954, the Volksbund (German War Graves Commission) assumed responsibility for the cemetery’s upkeep, in accordance with a Franco-German agreement designating
La Cambe as one of the six official German cemeteries in Normandy.
The remains of the 12,000 German soldiers then buried in the temporary cemeteries of Calvados and Orne departments were subsequently transferred to La Cambe.
Over the years, new generations of Germans have actively participated in the cemetery’s maintenance, with the support of Bundeswehr soldiers.
Thus, in 1958, a youth camp organised by the Volksbund transformed the site. The entrance building and the central mound date from this period. The cemetery was opened to the public in 1961.
During our visit to the German military cemetery at La Cambe on June 7, 2019, after the D-Day 75th Anniversary Commemorations, we were struck by the sombre yet moving atmosphere of the place.
Bouquets of white flowers adorned the graves, and several wreaths were laid at the foot of the cairn, in tribute to the Fallen.
Today, La Cambe German war cemetery at contains the remains of 21,222 German soldiers, including Captain Michael Wittmann, recognised as one of the most talented
German officer of the Second World War who fell in action on August 8, 1944.
Jardin de la Paix – Peace Garden – Friedenspark
The 3-hectare Jardin de la Paix – Peace Garden – Friedenspark was created in 1996 to strengthen ties between German Americans and organisations responsible for maintaining military graves.
Anyone can honour the memory of German soldiers who fell during the Battle of Normandy by sponsoring a tree, usually a maple. An inscription at the base of the tree names its donor and their personal connection to one of the fallen soldiers.
This act of sponsorship embodies the principles of peace and reconciliation between nations. Sponsored maple trees are also planted along the road leading to the cemetery, seemingly watching over the souls of the departed like silent sentinels.
The Peace Garden at La Cambe had 21 sponsored maple trees when it opened in 1996. By 2009, it had grown to over 1,200 trees.
La Cambe German War Cemetery Tumulus
The focal point of La Cambe German war cemetery is undoubtedly the cairn, a collective grave erected in the heart of the cemetery on May 12, 1958.
Approximately 6 meters high and 24 meters in diameter, this imposing structure commands attention with its solemn presence. A 4-meter-high basalt lava cross, guarded by two stone sentinels, crowns it.
The tumulus is also the work of Robert Tischler, an accomplished artist who lived through the tumultuous periods of the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the post-World War II era.
Within the cairn lie the remains of 207 unknown soldiers, and 89 identified whose names are engraved on the monument’s base.
Located inland, far from major sites such as Grandcamp-Maisy, Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach – Colleville-sur-mer American war Cemetery, La Cambe German War Cemetery is easily accessible from the RN13.
Discover another major German war cemetery: Marigny German war cemetery in La Chapelle-en-Juger near Saint-Lô
Department of Calvados – La Cambe
Coordinates: Lat 49.343157 – Long -1.026603
