30th December 1941
Metzeral
Postcard sent from Metzeral in the Alsace (with very poor Mi.3 'Elsaß' overprint). Note that to the reverse the publishers imprint 'Editeur Strasbourg' has been struck through. The card has been 'correctly' addressed to 'Strassburg'. Ref: 30.12.1941
Metzeral
During the First World War, Metzeral was the subject of a battle which resulted in a decisive French victory. The town, for its part, was nothing more than a pile of ruins. These events were immortalised by the official army painter François Flameng, whose sketches and drawings appeared in the magazine L'Illustration. Most of the village was rebuilt following the armistice under the authority of mayor Jacques Immer.
During the Second World War, a fortunate combination of circumstances spared the town from destruction. Indeed, while the German offensive was being prepared (in January 1945), for three weeks, such an abundance of snow began to fall that any military operation became impossible. Prevented by snow, the Wehrmacht had to leave the valley without firing a shot. Metzeral was liberated on 5th February 1945.
Source: Wikipedia
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