THE CAEN MEMORIAL
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
It would benefit anyone who visits the World War II Memorial at Caen to study up on the memorial itself, as well as world history, before visiting. Learning about the building layout and the considered use of space, light and color or absence of color adds to the experience. Having a solid knowledge of world history of the 20th century would help evaluate the presentations and put them in perspective.
The entire building and all of the displays of artifacts, the media presentations, the lighting, the colors of the rooms, and the manner in which the displays are presented have been designed in a very specific way to depict the atmosphere of the times. For someone like me, who is graphically challenged, reading the guide is very helpful in understanding what the designers were trying to communicate with the building style, coloring, lighting and layout. All of these factors contribute to the message. This building does not consist of cases of displays, such as are seen in conventional museums. The focus of the museum is not really to display artifacts, or even to remember the war, but more a vehicle to help us learn from past experiences and to promote peace over war.
The presentation begins with a history lesson, starting with the end of World War I. The political atmosphere of the world is described, with the US becoming a world leader, Russia isolating itself, and Europe reeling from the devastation of WWI. The crash of the American stock market and the unresolved issues lingering from WWI created an opportunity for Adolph Hitler to implement his expansionist and elitist philosophies.
The unstable political conditions in France are described. Leaflets, graffiti, newsreels, tape recordings of conversations illustrate the country’s unrest and lack of effective leadership. With little explanation or transition, the occupation of France is portrayed in a section titled “France in the Dark Years”. Maps showing the locations of forced labor camps and concentration camps, lists of prisoners, a battered, dusty shoe, photos of Nazi soldiers at noted French landmarks, a moving wall of victims of genocide, are all presented in very dark rooms with low ceilings, conveying the feelings which pervaded the country.
The next section of displays gradually moves out of the claustrophobic darkness into an open room symbolizing the global involvement in the war. Weapons, aircraft, and vehicles are on display along with war recruitment posters and photos of diplomats at summit meetings, military uniforms, and newsreels about Pearl Harbor, North Africa, Mussolini, and the attacks on Russia. Eisenhower, Churchill and Montgomery can be seen on every wall. The world is at war. At this point you are invited to view a film about WWII, D Day and the Battle of Normandy.
The years of Cold War are presented next, with a bomb shelter, samples of survival equipment and rations, emergency preparedness propaganda on display. The growing gulf between the Communist countries and the Capitalist countries is illustrated, depicted by the differences in lifestyles, consumer goods, affluence, and scientific advancements. Maps of missile sites and explanations of the acceleration of the arms contest are described. One gets the feeling of being on the brink of disaster. You actually have the feeling you might lose your balance any moment and fall over the edge into chaos.
From here the presentations move into a discussion of peace, how elusive it is, how different cultures approach peace in different ways. There are several peace-related rooms. In conclusion, the aim of the memorial is on helping us learn from the past, understanding different cultures, and focusing us on finding peaceful solutions to conflicts.
It is a very moving memorial, emotionally draining, and hard to go through. We did not make it through all of the peace displays because we were wiped out. The peace display we did go through was quite interesting. It presented in oral, written and graphic formats, several different peace cultures. I have to spend some time thinking about what I learned, and maybe doing some research.
Here are some editorial comments about the memorial. These comments are strictly my opinions. I found the glossing over of the transition of France into war and the depiction of what is called “The Collaboration” a bit self-serving. What about the French leadership? Where is the appeal for help? Was there one? How about some tribute to the British, Canadian and American people, and an acknowledgement of their contribution of young people’s lives, financial resources and leadership. My background in 20th century history is sorely lacking, especially WWII history, so I don’t know what really happened, but it seems that the French leaders sold their country down the river and the redemption of the country was left to the “Everyman” who had the courage to join the resistance, and the Allies. The museum visit takes all day. The cost was quite high—e17 per person.