Our relatives were kind enough to take us on a day trip to Ypres in Belgium. Ypres is 4 hours drive from Trier in Germany and the drive took us through the very pretty countryside of Luxembourg and on to a small town on the western side of Belgium. Ypres is surrounded by battlefields. Cemeteries, memorials and war museums show the history of the German-Allied battles of World War I. During WWI Ypers was the centre for prolonged (?senseless), sustained battles between German and Allied forces. Ypres stood in the path of the German's planned sweep across Belgium and into France.
There was a first, second and third battle of Ypres. The first in 1914, the second in 1915 and the third in 1917. No substantial gains in ground were made on either side during this time despite thousands and thousands of Germans and Allies dying. The town was obliterated.
The day was all about men. Men fighting in the war, men dying, men and their honourable deaths, men and bravery, men and their victories, defeats and injuries. I was hoping to see some war memorials honouring the memory of the women who stayed at home raising their children on their own, keeping the country running, waiting to hear their bad news. There was the tiniest segment in the In Flanders Fields Museum in the town of Ypres dedicated to the nurses of the war. One small glass cabinet showing their uniform and their instruments.
Can't say I gained the "spiritual benefit" the "pilgrimage" to Ypers was supposed to invoke (Wikipedia Ypers). Weird how war is linked to spiritualism. The soldiers - maters of maleness. Strangely, every grave except those of the Jews had been claimed by the Christians with a huge cross engraved in the tombstone. Crosses everywhere. Were they all believers? No atheists? No choice once they were dead. They were Christian.
Overall, an interesting day. I would recommend leaving a chunk of the afternoon aside to visit the town while there is still light.
The following photos are of Ypres the town.
There was a first, second and third battle of Ypres. The first in 1914, the second in 1915 and the third in 1917. No substantial gains in ground were made on either side during this time despite thousands and thousands of Germans and Allies dying. The town was obliterated.
The day was all about men. Men fighting in the war, men dying, men and their honourable deaths, men and bravery, men and their victories, defeats and injuries. I was hoping to see some war memorials honouring the memory of the women who stayed at home raising their children on their own, keeping the country running, waiting to hear their bad news. There was the tiniest segment in the In Flanders Fields Museum in the town of Ypres dedicated to the nurses of the war. One small glass cabinet showing their uniform and their instruments.
Can't say I gained the "spiritual benefit" the "pilgrimage" to Ypers was supposed to invoke (Wikipedia Ypers). Weird how war is linked to spiritualism. The soldiers - maters of maleness. Strangely, every grave except those of the Jews had been claimed by the Christians with a huge cross engraved in the tombstone. Crosses everywhere. Were they all believers? No atheists? No choice once they were dead. They were Christian.
Overall, an interesting day. I would recommend leaving a chunk of the afternoon aside to visit the town while there is still light.
The following photos are of Ypres the town.
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| The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing |
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| Belgium chocolate |
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