Monday, June 20, 2011

the Armistice carriage of Compiègne

The Armistice bringing WW1 to an end was signed in a Wagons-Lits (see earlier posts) carriage in the Foret de Compiègne, north of Paris, on 11 November 1918.  This postcard was issued marking the event.

On 22 June 1940 it was used a second time by Hitler to accept the French armistice.  Details are on this webpage

In 1945, to prevent it being used a third time, it was taken to Crawinkel in Thüringen, blown up and buried.  In 1991 after the fall of Communism, remains of it were dug up and returned to France.  In the meantime after the war, the site was restored and a replica of the carriage was placed where it was.

No comments: