During World War I, Canadian Army Lieutenant Colonel and military field surgeon John McCrae took part in one of the most horrific battles, known as the Second Battle of Ypres. In Belgium, in the fields of Flanders, from April 22 to May 25, 1915, the German command, in battles against French, Belgian, and British troops. Weather conditions were not taken into account, and some of the chlorine was carried by the wind toward German troop positions. As a result, those who were not wearing protective masks were also poisoned. Total Allied casualties in that battle amounted to about 70,000 killed, wounded, and captured, while the German Empire suffered 35,000 killed, wounded, and captured.
After the death of his friend and fellow soldier, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, on May 2, 1915, upon seeing his grave in the middle of a field strewn with red poppies, McCrae wrote the beautiful poem “In Flanders Fields.”
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
The poem was first published on December 8, 1915, in the London weekly magazine *Punch*. The success of these 15 lines was simply staggering. McCrea was literally inundated with letters and telegrams of thanks. The poem came to be associated with all the soldiers who died in that terrible war. Later, the opening lines and the symbol began to be actively used for propaganda purposes.
Deeply impressed by McCrae’s work, Michelle Moine, a professor at the University of Georgia in the United States, wrote the poem “We Shall Keep the Faith” in November 1918.
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.We cherish, too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
After the war ended and following this unique public vow to “always wear a red poppy” in memory of the fallen, Moine became actively involved in supporting disabled veterans. To raise funds, she proposed selling artificial silk poppies.
In 1920, this symbol was used by the American Legion to honor the memory of American soldiers who died in World War I. Thus, thanks to the efforts of this courageous and energetic American woman, the “remembrance poppy” became a reminder of the victims of World War I. Today, the “red poppy” is an international symbol of remembrance for the victims of all military and civil armed conflicts since 1914. Michelle Moine herself, known as the “Poppy Lady,” has been immortalized on numerous stamps, envelopes, and paintings.
In the French region of Picardy, near the city of Compiègne, on November 11, 1918, the Entente and Germany signed the Armistice of Compiègne, which marked the end of World War I, a conflict that had lasted 4 years, 3 months, and 2 weeks and claimed tens of millions of lives. At exactly 11:00 a.m., the armistice went into effect. Many countries observe national holidays in memory of the war (including on November 11). Speaking of these, let’s start with the United Kingdom.
First and foremost, in the collective memory of this country’s residents, the events of 1914–1918 are remembered as the “Great War.” This is hardly surprising, given that nearly a million Britons lost their lives on the battlefields at that time. According to British researchers, this was one of the country’s finest generations. Grief touched nearly every family, which is why the “Great War” is still remembered in the United Kingdom today. Since early November, the Royal British Legion has been running its “Poppy Appeal” charity campaign, which raises funds to support war veterans. November 11 is known as “Remembrance Day.” Traditionally, since 1919, at 11:00 a.m., the entire country observes a minute of mourning and silence. Official ceremonies are usually held on Remembrance Sunday. In England, this day does not have a fixed date and is observed annually on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of the end of World War I.
Across the United Kingdom, wreaths of red poppies are laid at war memorials. The main event, attended by the country’s top leadership, takes place in central London at the main memorial to those who died during World War I—the Cenotaph. It was built in 1919 and consists of a tall, rectangular marble pedestal topped with a coffin-like structure. The monument is dedicated to soldiers who, for various reasons, were not buried in their homeland, or whose remains were never found.
These days, red poppies can be seen everywhere and in all sorts of variations. And on August 5, 2014, on the centennial of the United Kingdom’s entry into World War I, the independent charity “Historic Royal Palaces” unveiled a highly original project at the Tower of London dedicated to the memory of the fallen. It was created by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper. Their installation was titled “Blood-Stained Lands and Red Seas.” Ceramic scarlet poppies seemed to pour out of the tower’s window and fill the moat, resembling a stream of blood from a distance. Each of the 888,246 artificial flowers “planted” back in July symbolized a British or colonial soldier who died between 1914 and 1921. In this way, the project’s creators included even those British soldiers who died of their wounds after returning home. Photographs of World War I veterans were displayed on the fence.
After November 11, the flowers were removed and put up for sale at 25 pounds sterling each.
The proceeds from the sale were donated to charities that support military personnel. It is estimated that about five million people visited the installation, including Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
Places of remembrance associated with the Great War play an extremely important role in the historical memory of the country and its citizens. Monuments, military cemeteries, and memorials dedicated to people, events, and military units are scattered throughout the United Kingdom. What’s most interesting is that the British continue to erect them to this day.
For example, on November 11, 1920, the remains of an unidentified British soldier who had fallen in Europe during the Great War were solemnly interred at Westminster Abbey. It is generally accepted that this is the world’s first monument to the unknown soldier.
It is highly symbolic that soil for the grave was brought from all the major battlefields of that war. The grave itself is covered by a black Belgian marble slab, and the brass inscription was cast from melted-down ammunition. The commemorative text was written by the Abbot of Westminster, Herbert Edward Ryle.
BENEATH THIS STONE RESTS THE BODY OF A BRITISH WARRIOR
UNKNOWN BY NAME OR RANK
BROUGHT FROM FRANCE TO LIE AMONG THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS OF THE LAND
AND BURIED HERE ON ARMISTICE DAY 11 NOV: 1920, IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE V
HIS MINISTERS OF STATE
THE CHIEFS OF HIS FORCES
AND A VAST CONCOURSE OF THE NATION
THUS ARE COMMEMORATED THE MANY MULTITUDES WHO DURING THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-1918 GAVE THE MOST THAT MAN CAN GIVE LIFE ITSELF
FOR GOD
FOR KING AND COUNTRY
FOR LOVED ONES HOME AND EMPIRE
FOR THE SACRED CAUSE OF JUSTICE AND THE FREEDOM OF THE WORLD
THEY BURIED HIM AMONG THE KINGS BECAUSE HE HAD DONE GOOD TOWARD GOD AND TOWARD HIS HOUSE
In Manchester, at Victoria Railway Station, the text on a simple memorial plaque reads: “In memory of the thousands of men who walked through this door to the Great War of 1914–1918 and never returned.”
Of course, not all soldiers in that war were heroes. Following decisions by military field courts, several thousand British soldiers were found guilty of crimes punishable by death. The sentences were carried out for 346 of them. Many years later, 306 of them were exonerated. In June 2001, the “Dawn Memorial” was unveiled in Staffordshire.
It depicts a figure in the center: a young British soldier tied to a post, blindfolded and about to be executed. The figure is surrounded by a semicircle of posts bearing the names of all the soldiers.
The wounds inflicted on society by the Great War were so profound that their impact can still be seen in many areas of life.
The fiancé of the youngest daughter of the famous artist George Clausen was killed on the battlefields of World War I in 1916. His daughter’s tragedy inspired Clausen to paint “Mourning Youth.”
The pain of loss did not spare the author of *The Jungle Book* and *Rikki-Tikki-Tavi*, beloved by so many.
A patriot of his country, Rudyard Kipling was a staunch supporter of the war and wrote propaganda leaflets on behalf of the British government. Inspired by his father’s words, his only son, John, decided to enlist as a volunteer. However, due to poor eyesight, several medical boards deemed Kipling Jr. unfit for military service. Upon learning that his son had been rejected by the army, the writer was deeply upset and pulled out all the stops to rectify the situation. John Kipling was commissioned as a lieutenant and, in mid-August 1915, was deployed with his unit to the front in France.
By September 27, 1915, John was already officially listed as missing in action during the Battle of Los. Rudyard Kipling searched unsuccessfully for his son for four years. In one of his “War Epitaphs” from 1919, the writer candidly admits: “If anyone asks why we died, tell them—it’s because our fathers lied to us.” After the war ended, Kipling became a member of the War Graves Commission. And the story of his personal pain and tragedy served as the basis for director Brian Kirk’s 2007 drama film *My Boy Jack*.
Many of us are familiar with the term “writers of the lost generation.” One of its most prominent representatives is Erich Maria Remarque. But that’s the case here and in Germany. In the United Kingdom, however, they love and revere another author whose works, to our great regret, have still not been translated into either Russian or Ukrainian. It all began in the summer of 1915, when 22-year-old Vera Britten dropped out of college at the University of Oxford and volunteered to serve as a nurse on the front lines. During the war, this young woman, who came from an extremely wealthy family, lost her dearly beloved brother, two close friends, and her fiancé. After the war, she became a regular speaker at the League of Nations and actively made anti-war statements during World War II. She was published in the pacifist magazine *Peace News*. Vera Britten’s work as a peace advocate was so prominent that the Nazis included her name in the “Black Book” of those who were to be immediately exterminated once German troops occupied Great Britain. The autobiographical books Britten wrote based on her personal tragedies, including *The Covenants of Youth* (1933), *The Covenants of Friendship* (1940), and *The Covenants of Experience* (1957), have been reprinted numerous times in many languages around the world. For example, *The Covenants of Youth* has been reprinted 10 times to date in the United Kingdom and the United States. And in 2014, it was adapted for the screen by director James Kent in the film of the same name, known in Russia as “Memories of the Future.”
In Australia, Canada, and other countries of the British Commonwealth, November 11 is observed in the same way.
The situation is a little different in the United States. The fact is that Americans are convinced that their country’s intervention in the conflict is precisely what turned it into a world war. However, as in other countries, November 11 is a day of remembrance in the United States. The holiday is called “Veterans Day”; it was originally established by the U.S. Congress in 1926 as a tribute to soldiers who fought in World War I. Today, it is dedicated to veterans of all of America’s wars. On this day, parades and veterans’ gatherings are held across the country. However, Americans have a separate holiday to commemorate those who died in wars, called “Memorial Day.” This national holiday is observed annually in the U.S. on the last Monday in May. It is dedicated to American service members who died in all wars and conflicts in which the U.S. has ever participated.
In France, November 11 is also considered a holiday. And this is not surprising, since the events of the Great War affected virtually every French family. Previously, the holiday was called “Victory Day”; now it is called “Armistice Day” (Armistice). After all, in French historical memory, the events of World War I and World War II are linked. A statement made in 2011 by a politician eloquently characterizes how the country’s citizens perceive those events: “I would like us to stop thinking of it as Germany having lost the war and France having won it. The tens of millions of victims of that war were, for the most part, Europeans.”
Currently, there are more than 36,000 monuments to this war in the country, most of which were erected between 1920 and 1925. On November 11, France also commemorates those who died in all the wars in which the country has ever participated. The commemorative events on this day are very similar to those in England. However, the symbol of this day is the French cornflower (Bleuet de France), which is much more popular than the red poppy traditionally associated with Anglo-Saxon countries. It is believed that French soldiers, dressed in blue uniforms, considered it their talisman.
In Belgium, where many bloody battles took place, Remembrance Day is also observed on the 11th. The red poppy—which once blanketed the battlefields of Flanders—has also become a symbol of remembrance for the victims of World War I in that country.
In Germany, however, November 11 is not celebrated. The Day of Remembrance for the Victims of War and State Violence is observed in that country on the second-to-last Sunday before the first day of Advent (the Christmas season). This year, it falls on November 19.
In 2005, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Romania, Norway, the United States, and Japan jointly produced the film *Merry Christmas* (*Joyeux Noël*). It was based on real historical events known as the “Christmas Truce.” During World War I on the Western Front, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, soldiers from both sides would, on their own initiative, venture into the no-man’s-land, where they would meet with their adversaries and exchange food or souvenirs with them. It was not uncommon during this holiday for soldiers from the warring nations to hold joint burial ceremonies for the fallen, sing Christmas carols, or even play soccer in the no-man’s-land. Front-line commanders on both sides strictly prohibited and punished such fraternization and unauthorized ceasefires. But people are always people, no matter what uniform they wear. And at Christmas, as we know, miracles do happen. This is precisely the subject of a film made by the descendants of those who once killed one another.
The memory of the Great War is much more complicated for those nations that did not have their own state at the time. For example, for me personally, World War I is also a tremendous tragedy for the entire Ukrainian people, who were forced against their will to fight on the side of two opposing states. It is the peaceful Ukrainian population that perished during the fighting in western Ukraine. These are the Ukrainian refugees in the East and the Ukrainian volunteers in Kharkiv who greet them at the train station. In that distant war, for me personally, there are no victors or enemies. There are simply people of the same nationality fulfilling their civic duty in different countries. There is simply a shared tragedy and a shared memory that must be honored and not forgotten. And the neutral date of November 11, which does not divide East and West, is not the worst option for this, in my opinion.
P.S. Dedicated to all my loved ones who fought and fell in that great and terrible war…
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