JUNE 1940 THE BATTLE OF ABBEVILLE – From the Rhineland to Caen with the Company of the "List" Regiment

The chronicle of the journey of the horse-drawn infantry gun company of the famous "List" Regiment, which distinguished itself in 1914 and was also the regiment of one Adolf Hitler.

Day by day, we follow this unit from the Rhineland to Normandy, passing through Saint-Quentin, Amiens, Le Havre, Rouen and Giberville, near Caen.

Day by day, we share the daily life of these infantrymen, the difficult conditions of this journey that leads them into the heart of the Battle of Abbeville, during which the 57th Bavarian Infantry Division confronts Colonel de Gaulle's 4th DCR… Faced with hundreds of armoured vehicles, the 13th company held out for long days until the final success.

Day by day, in a notebook, Corporal O. Bär sets down his words: sensitive and attentive descriptions; intimate and realistic reflections; humanist astonishment at combat situations, at the crossing of "deserted" and ghostly territories. Like a war correspondent, this young German corporal bears witness, and his assured style gives this testimony the depth of a narrative.

Published in August 1940, this notebook, made up of texts and original, unpublished photographs by O. Bär, is a rare and exceptional document.

Translation, notes and documents: Georges Bernage