The graves of 22 Canadian Jewish soldiers who were killed in World War II during the Allied landings in Normandy and were buried in the military cemetery at Chateau-Bretteville in Normandy were desecrated Monday night. The tombstones were overturned and smashed and vandals scrawled anti-Semitic slogans on them, including, “Against the Jewish invasion — It is only the beginning.” No organization has claimed responsibility for this outrage and police say they have no clues as to who is responsible. The cerrelery is on an isolated hilltop and is unguarded.
There are 1000 graves in the cemetery of Canadian soldiers who were killed in the 1944 Allied landings which heralded the liberation of France from Nazi occupation. Today, a delegation of French Jews led by the rabbi of Chateau-Bretteville laid wreaths on the graves of the 22 Jewish Canadian soldiers. The town’s mayor, Michel Lebaron, said that repairs would be completed as soon as possible.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
