The War Cemeteries

Last week, Kendra and I again took the tenth-graders from our Integrated Honors World History/English class on a World War II fieldtrip to the British War Cemetery near the Catania airport, the German War Cemetery near Misterbianco, and then to the World War II museum in downtown Catania.

The cemeteries are immaculately maintained by the countries whose men are buried there, England and Germany, and visitors, flowers, flags, and notes still appear on graves at each site. Over two thousand men are buried in the British Cemetery, with its neat rows of matching white tombstones and personal inscribed messages on each beneath the rank, name, unit, and dates of birth and death. A few Norwegians, Australians, New Zealanders, and one Pole are sprinkled among the Englishmen. What struck our students most was the ages of the men, many of them just 18, 19, or 20 years old, not much older than they are now. They spent a good amount of time walking up and down the long rows, reading the stones and reflecting. It had just rained, so everything was sparkling clean.

Afterwards, we went to the German cemetery near Misterbianco. The style of the place was completely different. You wouldn't even notice it or know there was a cemetery there if you weren't seeking it. It's open to the sky but behind high red brick walls. Each "room" inside the walls is dedicated to the men who fell at the various locations--Catania, Messina, and Agira. Over four thousand five hundred men are buried here. Each room has their names, rank, and dates inscribed on huge marble tablets laid into the floors. So, the entire look is quite different. There is a very moving bronze sculpture of a fallen soldier that is reproduced in the museum downtown. For some reason, though, the students were not as interested in the Germany cemetery. I don't know if it was the fact that the Germans were our enemy, the stark design of the place, or the fact that we were on our way to McDonald's for lunch afterwards, but they definitely did not want to spend as much time there.