Visit of the Linge Memorial Museum – My opinion

Why the Linge Memorial at Orbey in Alsace?

The Linge Memorial is located on the summits ofOrbey, around the Collet du Linge (at 987 meters altitude). The battle of the Linge took place in the Vosges during the First World War, between July 20 and October 15, 1915, and pitted the French army against the German army.

The purpose of the memorial is to preserve the remains of this particularly deadly confrontation (having caused 17,000 casualties) and to honor the memory of the combatants, the Chasseurs Alpins who fought in Alsace for France during the Great War.

Memorial site of the Col du Linge in the Vosges

The Linge Memorial Museum is divided into two parts: the battlefield and the museum. In addition, there are two military cemeteries a few minutes away. The national necropolis of the Wettstein pass, which is the French cemetery (decorated with white crosses, synonymous with victory) and the German military cemetery (decorated with black crosses, synonymous with defeat).

This memorial was created in 1981 by the association “Le Mémorial du Linge 1915” and is only managed and maintained by volunteers. A long term work for these passionate people who want to preserve our Alsatian historical heritage.

Battlefield of the Linge

To discover the place, three different routes, more or less difficult, are proposed to visit the battlefield, composed of French trenches and the German defensive system. They have been remarkably well preserved and it is possible to walk through them.

All along the circuit, signs(written in French, English and German) accompany us between the French and German trenches in order to tell the history of this place and the various buildings present.

This walk in the heart of the trenches opened my eyes to the living conditions endured by the “poilus”, a harsh life in a very hostile environment.

Museum of Linge 1915

The museography has been organized in a clear and chronological way on two floors, with several reconstructions of life in the trenches. We discover the history of the battles and the daily life of the combatants.

On display are objects (some found on site) belonging to French and German soldiers who participated in the First World War. We find period weapons (machine guns, pistols, grenades and cannons), ammunition, personal objects and relics (such as a complete military pack from 1915 in perfect condition!), the different outfits worn by the soldiers and alpine hunters, maps and models of the battlefield and many original documents as well as period photographs.

In addition, the association has created an excellent video mountain: a 20-minute film on the history of the battle, which can be seen free of charge during the visit and which provides an excellent overview of the events.

All in all, the Linge Memorial (as well as the Hartmannswillerkopf) is an excellent place to visit if you are interested in remembrance tourism and wish to learn more about the Great War in Alsace, while visiting an impressive place.

My photos of the visit to the Linge Memorial