The massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane in the south of France took place on the 10th June 1945 but the reasons for it are not
completely known. There are, however, many hypotheses to why this may have happened. Some reports have found that a German commander had been taken hostage by some members of the 'maquis' who formed part of the French Resistance. He was then discovered by the Germans and the nearest village, Oradour was
destroyed, along with its
innocent inhabitants. Another theory is that the Germans somehow went to completely the wrong place and instead of marching in on Oradour-sur-Vayres they went to Oradour-sur Glane instead. However, there have been a few key eyewitnesses including Mme. Rouffanche who was the only survivor of the torching of the church. She claimed that none of the villagers had been involved with the French Resistance but the Germans had decided to use Oradour as an example to the rest of France. If the French were going to resist this is what the Germans were capable. The murders were certainly gruesome as one mother and child were shot as they attempted to run from the burning church and many more innocent lives were taken on that fateful day. Even now, there is still debate about the true events at Oradour but the village has been kept in its destroyed form to honour those that were killed and, even today, visitors can see the ruins of the very church targeted by the soldiers.