VERDun

The word Verdun comes from Latin ‘Verodunum’, meaning strong fort. Several battles have been fought at Verdun, amongst which the WW I Battle of Verdun (1916) that left hundreds of thousands killed and wounded, and millions of family members and friends grieved. Despite the destruction and pollution caused by warfare, two phenomena have brought about new life at the former battleground. The craters that are the result of intense bombings gave rise to small ponds that over the past decades have attracted amphibians and dragonflies from other regions, while the soil has become arid in other parts, resulting in a microclimate that is attracting heat-loving flowers. These photos were taken in the fall of 2020 and no filter or digital alteration was applied to display them. It was only after looking at these pictures from home that I discovered they all exude a verdant atmosphere, except the one shot inside the memorial, its redness contrasting with the green outside. The word ‘verde’ (green) seems to do Verdun honor as grass seems to want to devour its bunkers and create additional layers of soil, possibly allowing new wildlife to flourish in the near or far future, a future that will hopefully be void of turmoil.