Although Alsace is now a haven of peace, 65 years ago it was the fighting scene of unprecedented violence, of a bitter struggle between Germany and France. Annexed by Germany in 1940, Alsace had to remain German for political and strategic reasons and only became French once again after paying a heavy price. A decisive phase in the liberation of Alsace, the battle of the Colmar pocket left scenes of desolation in its wake: a wasteland of rubble and charred tanks. This book provides an opportunity to find out more about this terrible period through archive documents, most of which are being published here for the first time. Few words can describe the suffering and self-sacrifice endured by the soldiers and civilians caught in the crossfire. Like the Memorial Museum of the Colmar pocket, this publication aims to fulfil a duty of remembrance and to pay tribute to these men, soldiers and civilians, survivors and victims.
