The ceremonies for the 76th anniversary of the Normandy Landings, on June 6, 1944, took place Saturday behind closed doors and without veterans, in a formal atmosphere due to the epidemic of Covid-19, which contrasts with the festivities and the crowd of 2019 , AFP noted.
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In Vierville-sur-Mer (Omaha Beach), one of the main landing theaters, a ceremony inaugurated by two overflights by the Patrouille de France brought together less than a hundred people, including the ambassadors of eight allied countries (States United States, Canada, Denmark, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands) and Germany, in front of the Monument to the National Guard of the United States.
On the spot, the Secretary of State to the Minister of the Armies Geneviève Darrieussecq spoke of a ceremony "simple, sober and strong" . “ This health crisis forced us to review the format of the ceremonies. What is important is that they take place, that there are representatives of all countries and that we all remain united by this memory which simply reminds us that soldiers fought for the values of our republic, our freedom, our democracy, " she told reporters. Many ceremonies had to be canceled this year due to the health context.
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The raising of flags and national anthems was followed by the traditional wreath laying. The ceremony ended with an overflight of an F15 and an American tanker.
"June 6, 1944. The Supreme Battle is engaged. I think of those who, thousands of miles from home, fought to liberate France alongside our resistance fighters. Unite, in the name of Liberty. Never forget our heroes, ”tweeted Emmanuel Macron.
“Unfortunately this year we cannot attend the ceremony, these are ceremonies that I never miss, it's a disappointment. We had a lot of cancellations. It's a bit of a disaster anyway. Here we live with tourism, ” Marie-Christine Costy, president of the Omaha Footbridge Association, told AFP.
In the morning, ceremonies also took place at the Caen Memorial, at the Bayeux British cemetery, at Courseulles-sur-Mer (Juno Beach) and at the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, where Charles Norman Shay, 96, was the only American veteran present.
A ceremony was also held in Arromanches and another in Ouistreham to pay tribute to the 177 marines of the Free French Forces of the Kieffer commando, the only French people in uniform to have participated in the Landing.