11.11.2024 – succumbed criminal pride

succumbed criminal pride
vanquished by the free peoples
it tried to enslave

On November 11, 1918, an armistice was signed to end the fighting known as then, the Great War and now as the humble, World War 1.

According to one travel website, To avoid humiliating the German delegation, Marshal Foch sought an out-of-the-way location near Paris. For this reason, the Rethondes Clearing in the Compiègne Forest was chosen. The World War I Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918 by the Allies and the German plenipotentiaries.

The allied commander in chief, Marshall Ferdinand Foch had his personal rail car moved to a rail siding in the Compiegne forest and in this rail car, the armistice was signed.

The forest clearing or Clairière de l’Armistice (“Glade of the Armistice”, or “Armistice Clearing”) became a memorial and large monument went up with the legend:

Here on the eleventh of November 1918 succumbed the criminal pride of the German Reich. Vanquished by the free peoples which it tried to enslave.

In June of 1940, France was over run by German armies and France gave up.

Adolf Hitler had no thoughts about avoiding humiliation and ordered that the French surrender at the same place in the same rail car which would be brought out from the museum where it was on display.

Hitler would sit in the same chair used by Marshall Foch.

History records that a car arrived with the representatives of France who were visibly shaken to find where they had been brought.

They had not been told where the surrender would take place.

William Shirer was on the scene for CBS Radio and he later wrote:

“Through my glasses I saw the Führer stop, glance at the [Alsace-Lorraine] monument. … Then he read the inscription on the great granite block in the center of the clearing: Here on the eleventh of November 1918 succumbed the criminal pride of the German empire … vanquished by the free peoples which it tried to enslave.” I look for the expression on Hitler’s face. I am but fifty yards from him and see him through my glasses as though he were directly in front of me. I have seen that face many times at the great moments of his life. But today! It is afire with scorn, anger, hate, revenge, triumph. He steps off the monument and contrives to make even this gesture a masterpiece of contempt. He glances back at it contemptuous, angry. … Suddenly, as though his face were not giving quite complete expression to his feelings, he throws his whole body into harmony with his mood. He swiftly snaps his hands on his hips, arches his shoulders, plants his feet wide apart. It is a magnificent gesture of defiance, of burning contempt.

All the memorials in the Clairière de l’Armistice were later destroyed by the Germans the Rail Car itself was brought to Berlin.

Five years later Hitler was dead.

Many years later the Clairière de l’Armistice was restored.

History still records that it was on this spot that is was Here on the eleventh of November 1918 succumbed the criminal pride of the German Reich. Vanquished by the free peoples which it tried to enslave.