German War Graves Commission to Expand Marigny War Cemetery into Memorial and Learning Center
Kassel, Marigny – In a solemn ceremony held today in Marigny, the German War Graves Commission announced the expansion of the Marigny war cemetery into a memorial and learning center. This development comes one day before the 81st anniversary of D-Day, which marks the beginning of the liberation of Europe by the Western Allies.
The newly expanded cemetery will feature a permanent multimedia exhibition that will provide information about the biographies of the soldiers buried there and showcase the history of the Western Allies’ landing, known as “Operation Overlord”. The exhibition will combine modern media stations with historical architecture, providing a unique and educational experience for visitors.
Thanks to the support of the non-profit Würth Foundation, a memorial approximately 3.5 meters tall has been designed and constructed. The memorial, which will be inaugurated today, honors the US soldiers who fought alongside their allies for the liberation of Europe. Its design includes a compass rose that points to the four cardinal directions from which the Allied forces pushed back the Nazi dictatorship. For Carmen Würth, who founded the Würth Foundation in 1987 together with her husband Prof. Dr. h. c. mult. Reinhold Würth, the memorial is a tribute to those who liberated Europe and serves as a reminder for everyone to strive for humanity and peace.
A trilingual plaque has also been placed in front of the memorial to commemorate First Lieutenant Nathan B. Baskind and all other US soldiers. Baskind, who was Jewish, was buried in a German comrades’ grave in Marigny in 1944. In 2023, he was exhumed, identified, and solemnly reburied the following year at the American military cemetery in Colleville under a Jewish gravestone. This was made possible through the efforts of the Volksbund, in cooperation with “Operation Benjamin” from New York.
The Volksbund, founded in 1919, is a humanitarian organization that searches for the dead of World War I and informs their relatives. It maintains more than 2.8 million war graves worldwide and continues to clarify the fates of war dead. For over 70 years, the organization has also been dedicated to promoting a more peaceful future through international youth work and educational projects. The private association primarily finances its work through donations.
For more information about the Volksbund and its work, please visit their website at www.volksbund.de.
Contact Information:
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V.
Harald John
+491735784718
presse@volksbund.de
