Musée de la Libération

On Friday afternoon I took a trip to the World War II Liberation Museum of Cherbourg. It's at the top of the mountain in what was used as a military Fort. Like with my trip to Caen, I took hundreds of pictures so I'll just stick them all here with captions rather than just writing.

The view across Cherbourg and out to sea from the top of the mountain

The sign on the way in. Free for under 26 year olds! 

More views

The outside of the museum

Fort de Rolle

More views across Cherbourg and out to sea
You can see the harbour forts here (the ones that were built to keep out the English)

 

Inside the museum...

The coat of a Jewish woman

I had no idea until very recently that France was even occupied by the Germans in WW2, and knew even less about their occupation in Normandy. I did know that the D-Day landings happened in Normandy, but for some reason, never put two and two together. I feel like this is a huge flaw in the British education system for History pre-GCSE. I think they must have focused on stuff like the Battle of Britain and evacuation of children more than what actually happened in France.

A Wartime Radio set

I don't actually know what this was. It didn't have a plaque or label
(although even it did I don't know that I'd have been able to identify it - 85% of the labels were all in French!)

There was a whole section about the German and French (not Free-France, the other one) propoganda. There were posters that they made saying that the British were damaging France with their bombings (this was first I actually heard that the British actually bombed German occupied France...) and that Winston Churchill was a fat and greedy monster. Most of my pictures were really bad from this section though as there was that 'low lighting' thing they do in Museums - either to protect the exhibits or just for effect.

The poster about how the British bombings were destroying France

"A sad story about Winston Churchill"
I didn't understand much more than that!

A poster depicting Winston Churchill as a
greedy Octopus trying to take over the world...

The Germans in Cherbourg

A Cinema ticket that was reserved for German Soldiers

A messenger bag, belt and hat and bayonette
that had been made into a dagger (I think belonging to the French)

Items found on the beaches of the D-Day landings

The pictures (above and below) show the defenses the Germans put in place along the Normandy beaches to prevent an invasion by sea.

A hand drawn map for the soldiers of the D-Day landings

There were big displays about French and German children - and particularly highlighting the differences between them.

A Scout Guide for French Children

Francs (the former French currency)

Stockings

Gas Masks (I think this was a French one)

German children display. There were lots of Nazi clothes, gas suit, signs, Nazi propaganda books etc.

More about the D-Day Landings

Photograph of Americans disembarking

Photograph of an un-named Parachutist

Armory

A parachute (not sure if this was a replica or an original...)

A US Military Backpack and French Language Guide

Victory Postcards
Charly thought it was crazy that I didn't recognise the USSR flag - bottom right.
I'm going to blame that on the British Education System too.

It's a good museum. Not really that good for kids - just stuff to look at and read. I found it really
interesting though. I'm learning a lot about WW2 History here.

When I got back, Marc wanted to see my photos of the museum and was asking what they were. I tried explaining that the Germans had taken over some bits of France like Cherbourg, and that the British and Americans came to rescue them (a statement which Charly got super offended by as there was apparently also some French Naval ships involved in the D-Day landings too - which I didn't actually know about...). Marc now keeps saying that 'we have to break the Germans when they're cross'. Never try to explain anything to a 3 year old!

An evening view across the town of Cherbourg