French government condemns vandalism at site of Nazi massacre

The site at the village of Oradour-sur-Glane commemorates 642 men, women and children killed in June 1944 by an SS division

French President Emmanuel Macron visits the ruins of Oradour-sur-Glane in 2017. Reuters

French government officials on Saturday said they would track down the defacers of a memorial to the victims of a massacre carried out by the Nazis.

The site, at the village of Oradour-sur-Glane near the western city of Limoges, commemorates 642 men, women and children who were killed in June 1944 by an SS division.

The ruins of the village are preserved as they were after the massacre.

The word "martyr" on the memorial was crossed out, with "menteur" or "liar" daubed next to it.

French President Emmanuel Macron said condemned the vandalism.

on Twitter “Nothing can erase the memory of our 642 martyrs of Oradour-sur-Glane," he tweeted.

He said everything would be done to track down those responsible and punish them.

Other French officials criticised the attack. Prime Minister Jean Castex said he felt anger after he heard about the incident and Justice Minister Eric Dupond Moretti tweeted: “Shame on those who did this.”