The temporary exhibition “Worlds in Battle: Verdun 1916,” designed to complement the permanent exhibition at the Verdun Memorial, sheds new light on the minorities who served in the two opposing armies.
On both the French and German sides, men and women from all walks of life encountered, experienced, and took part in this extraordinary battle. They perceived it differently, depending on their origins and social circumstances. Their little-known stories highlight different experiences and perspectives that enrich the broader narrative of the Battle of Verdun.
Alongside the stories of soldiers enlisted in the French colonial empire—hailing from the Maghreb, West Africa, and Southeast Asia—the exhibition invites you to discover the life journeys of others: Danes who enlisted in the German army, Belgian and Russian civilian and military prisoners of war, American and British medical personnel, people from Alsace and Moselle and Poles caught between the two armies, as well as individuals with unusual life stories from various parts of the world…
On both the French and German sides, men and women from all walks of life encountered, experienced, and took part in this extraordinary battle. They perceived it differently, depending on their origins and social circumstances. Their little-known stories highlight different experiences and perspectives that enrich the broader narrative of the Battle of Verdun.
Alongside the stories of soldiers enlisted in the French colonial empire—hailing from the Maghreb, West Africa, and Southeast Asia—the exhibition invites you to discover the life journeys of others: Danes who enlisted in the German army, Belgian and Russian civilian and military prisoners of war, American and British medical personnel, people from Alsace and Moselle and Poles caught between the two armies, as well as individuals with unusual life stories from various parts of the world…
