Remembrance Day in France
Remembrance Day, celebrated on November 11th, is a national holiday in France in France.
It commemorates the end of hostilities in the First World War, which occurred “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” in 1918. The state of war between Germany and France and its Alies officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919.
Throughout France, all towns and villages, from the smallest to the largest, organise commemorative ceremonies. A bouquet of blue, white and red flowers is placed on each war memorial, usually located in the village square or near the church.
In Paris, the President of the Republic presides over the ceremony and lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe at 11:00 a.m.
At that moment, two minutes of silence are observed. The first minute pays tribute to the nearly 20 million people who lost their lives during the First World War, while the second minute is dedicated to the bereaved families: mothers, wives, brides-to-be and sisters.
French Unknown Soldier
The ashes of an Unknown Soldier from the First World War were exhumed on January 28, 1921.
Initially intended for the Pantheon, they were ultimately placed beneath the Arc de Triomphe, one of Paris’s most prestigious military monuments, following a petition from the French people.
The following inscription can be read on his tombstone: “Here lies a French soldier who died for his country 1914–1918”
The Flame of Remembrance was placed on his grave and lit on November 11, 1923.
It burns continuously in memory of the unknown soldiers who died in the two World Wars and is rekindled every evening at 6:30 p.m.
Bleuet de France
France adopted the cornflower, the Bleuet de France, to commemorate the Armistice.
Like the poppies adopted by the British, cornflowers were among the few flowers that continued to grow on the battlefields despite the relentless bombardments that transformed the landscape into a lunar scene.
These flowers thus became symbols of resilience, representing the life that persisted amidst the mud of the trenches.
The Bleuet was also the nickname given by World War I veterans (Poilus) to the young recruits of the Class of 1895. These recruits, who fought on the Chemin des Dames, wore brand-new sky-blue – bleu horizon uniforms.
Poppy and British Remembrance Sunday
The British also observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. on November 11. However, they commemorate the end of the Great War on the second Sunday of November, Remembrance Sunday.
The delicate poppy, like the cornflower, covered the battlefields of Flanders where millions of men lost their lives during the First World War. Its bright colour symbolises the blood that was shed.
The Royal British Legion is the guardian of Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom. It raises public awareness of the importance of remembering those who sacrificed their lives and ensures that they are never forgotten. The annual Poppy Appeal is the Legion’s most important fundraising campaign. It begins two to three weeks before November 11th. Millions of small wooden war crosses and poppy-shaped badges are sold to the public, raising considerable funds.
Ideally, the poppy badge should be worn with the leaf positioned at 11 o’clock, in homage to the time of the Armistice. However, the most important thing is to wear it!
Remembrance Day around the world
All countries that participated in the First World War commemorate the Armistice as a national holiday, either on the same day or on a fixed date.
- Belgium: Armistice Day is a national holiday celebrated on November 11.
- Poland: November 11 is a public holiday, Independence Day, which commemorates the end of World War I and the country’s independence from Russia.
- USA: November 11th is Veterans Day, a federal and state holiday in all states.
- Ireland: Armistice Day or Remembrance Day is not a public holiday, but Irish people who died in past conflicts are honoured on the National Day of Remembrance in July.
- New Zealand: The National Day of Remembrance is Anzac Day, celebrated on April 25th. Poppy Day is usually held on the Friday before Anzac Day. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps is commemorated by New Zealand and Australia.
- Australia: Australians observe Remembrance Day on November 11, regardless of the day of the week, but it is not a public holiday.
- Canada: Remembrance Day is a federal holiday and a statutory holiday in the three territories and in all provinces except Ontario and Quebec.
- South Africa: Poppy Day is commemorated on the Saturday closest to Remembrance Day. It is not a public holiday, but a Remembrance ceremony takes place every year on November 11 in Cape Town.
- Barbados: Remembrance Day is recognised on November 11, but it is not a public holiday. A memorial ceremony takes place on Remembrance Sunday.
- Bermuda: Remembrance Day is commemorated on November 11 and is an important holiday.
- Mauritius: Commemoration on November 11th.
- Germany: Volkstrauertag, the National Day of Mourning, takes place on the Sunday closest to November 16, as Germany does not commemorate the anniversary of the Armistice of the First World War.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Bleuet de France Public domain
