Belgium Langemark German cemetery (#0343)

At the entrance (from the parking lot) to the German cemetery in Langemark. The covered area includes video screens with narrative and photos about German forces in the area during WWI. The videos cover two exceptional facts about the Langemark:

1) ‘Student cemetery’: The cemetery was at first called the ‘student cemetery’ because the initial German troops used in the area were predominantly ill-prepared students who had little military training and were forced into battle ill-prepared, resulting in very high death rates. (multiple sources)

2) Chemical warfare: The Germans are credited with being the first to use poison gas in warfare. That ‘first’ attack involved the release of deadly chlorine gas along a five-mile line that ran through what is now the site of the cemetery. The following website provides a description of gas attacks, including noting that the French were actually the first to use gas in warfare, that there were limited German uses before this attack at Langemark, and that Allied forces quickly picked up the use of gas in their attacks: firstworldwar.com/weaponry/gas.htm