Douaumont

Douaumont
Cimetière - Douaumont.JPG
Cemetery
Douaumont is located in France
Douaumont
Administration
Country France
Region Lorraine
Department Meuse
Arrondissement Verdun
Canton Étain
Statistics
Elevation 240–395 m (790–1,296 ft)
(avg. 380 m/1,250 ft)
Land area1 6.14 km2 (2.37 sq mi)
Population2 6  (1999)
 - Density 1 /km2 (2.6 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 55164/ 55100
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Douaumont is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.

The village was destroyed during World War I. Today the Douaumont ossuary, which contains the remains of more than 100,000 unknown soldiers of both French and German nationalities found on the battlefield, stands high above the landscape.

Contents

Douaumont Fort

Douaumont Fort - General view

The construction work for Fort de Douaumont started in 1885 and the fort was continually reinforced until 1913. The fort is situated on some of the highest ground in the area.

in 1916 during the Battle of Verdun the fort was first captured by the Germans without a struggle due to French unpreparedness, and was later recaptured by the French after major casualties on both sides.

See also

References

"Douaumont.Verite et Legende", Alain Denizot,1998,Librairie Academique Perrin,ISBN 2-262-01388-8.

External links