Honoring History
Experiencing and Honoring History in France
As a history major, Europe is my playground. Everywhere I go I find history from at least one century that I'm interested in. And a lot of that is due to the fact that Europe takes honoring and preserving history very seriously. That and Europe has over a thousand years more of history than the US. And it's the way that they honor history that has captured my attention and interest.America is pretty good at remembering and honoring it's history, but with so little years of history compared to Europe, it's hard to compare it to the dense history that Europe has. In France, history is everywhere. Look on the walls for plaques noting who was born in that house, who lived in it, and who died in it. Wander the streets and find signs that state that on a certain day in history, a certain even took place. Then add the fact that buildings, no matter their historical significance are preserved rather than destroyed and that everywhere there seems to be a museum of an old mansion or castle. The French cannot possibly forget their history when it's right in front of their noses.
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| 100 Photos for World War I on the Champs Elysees |
And this year has been an amazing year to witness history. With the 100 year anniversary of World War I and the 70 year anniversary of the end of World War II, experiencing history has been something else. Countless wreaths had been laid to commemorate those who fought. Dozens of parades have been marched, and countless speeches have been made. But I think what makes it interesting is honoring the history in the country that it happened in, making it that much more significant.
