Malcolm Hilgartner

The Volksbund gets its leads from a variety of sources, and sometimes the source is the person who buried the bodies. In May 2023, a 98-year-old named Edmond Reveille told his local newspaper that he had something to confess. At 19, he had been part of the Maquis, a guerrilla group that fought the Nazi occupiers in France.

The Volksbund gets its leads from a variety of sources, and sometimes the source is the person who buried the bodies. In May 2023, a 98-year-old named Edmond Reveille told his local newspaper that he had something to confess. At 19, he had been part of the Maquis, a guerrilla group that fought the Nazi occupiers in France.

In the last days of the war, his squad captured a group of 47 German soldiers. Instead of taking them to a POW camp, Reveille said, his squad took the prisoners to the outskirts of a village called Maymack, told them to dig their own graves, and shot them all dead, along with a Frenchwoman believed to be a collaborator.

In the last days of the war, his squad captured a group of 47 German soldiers. Instead of taking them to a POW camp, Reveille said, his squad took the prisoners to the outskirts of a village called Maymack, told them to dig their own graves, and shot them all dead, along with a Frenchwoman believed to be a collaborator.

Reveille said the members of the squad all swore that day never to speak about what they did. Now they were all dead but him. He wanted people to know what happened and, perhaps most important for the Volksbund, he said he still knew exactly where the bodies were buried.

Reveille said the members of the squad all swore that day never to speak about what they did. Now they were all dead but him. He wanted people to know what happened and, perhaps most important for the Volksbund, he said he still knew exactly where the bodies were buried.

When I arrived that summer, the old man had already led the Germans to a site about a 15-minute drive from the center of Maymack. But the passage of time had transformed the putative killing field. The once barren hills were now covered by a towering forest of Douglas firs, planted after the war. Still, the Volksbund felt good about the site.

When I arrived that summer, the old man had already led the Germans to a site about a 15-minute drive from the center of Maymack. But the passage of time had transformed the putative killing field. The once barren hills were now covered by a towering forest of Douglas firs, planted after the war. Still, the Volksbund felt good about the site.

Its ground radar system, though unable to detect bones, had sighted what looked like bullet casings and the evidence of disturbed earth. As the Germans went about their work, I went looking for Reveille. His confession was a big news story in Europe. At least one reporter had staked out his home.

Its ground radar system, though unable to detect bones, had sighted what looked like bullet casings and the evidence of disturbed earth. As the Germans went about their work, I went looking for Reveille. His confession was a big news story in Europe. At least one reporter had staked out his home.

But by the time I arrived in Maymack, the frenzy had calmed, and Revea agreed to meet me for lunch at the home of his friend, the village dentist. He walked in wearing a checkered newsboy hat and brushed off all attempts to help him to the table. Aside from a slight stoop, he caught a dashing figure for a man nearing his 100th birthday.

But by the time I arrived in Maymack, the frenzy had calmed, and Revea agreed to meet me for lunch at the home of his friend, the village dentist. He walked in wearing a checkered newsboy hat and brushed off all attempts to help him to the table. Aside from a slight stoop, he caught a dashing figure for a man nearing his 100th birthday.

So you want to hear the whole story, he asked after finding his seat. His resistance squad, he said, was commanded by a former French reservist whose nom de guerre was Hannibal. On June 7, 1944, the squad attacked the city Tula, and the next day it took 55 prisoners.

So you want to hear the whole story, he asked after finding his seat. His resistance squad, he said, was commanded by a former French reservist whose nom de guerre was Hannibal. On June 7, 1944, the squad attacked the city Tula, and the next day it took 55 prisoners.

The squad gave the soldiers the chance to join the resistance, but only a few among them did, mainly Czechs and Poles who had been conscripted by the Nazis. But the matter of the 47 Germans remained. There was no one to turn them over to, and the squad was too small to keep them. When an order was received, he said, you just had to execute.

The squad gave the soldiers the chance to join the resistance, but only a few among them did, mainly Czechs and Poles who had been conscripted by the Nazis. But the matter of the 47 Germans remained. There was no one to turn them over to, and the squad was too small to keep them. When an order was received, he said, you just had to execute.

Vevea said he ran into Hannibal crying after he received the order from one of his superiors. The commander, the only fighter among the French who spoke German, had gotten to know their captives, some of whom grew up along the same border as he had. No one wanted to kill the Frenchwoman, a collaborator, they were told, from a village called Saint-Pardou.

Vevea said he ran into Hannibal crying after he received the order from one of his superiors. The commander, the only fighter among the French who spoke German, had gotten to know their captives, some of whom grew up along the same border as he had. No one wanted to kill the Frenchwoman, a collaborator, they were told, from a village called Saint-Pardou.

They drew lots, and the task fell to a man whose last name Reveille remembered as Tessier, the brother of a local carpenter. After the trench was dug, Hannibal ordered the Germans who had pictures of their families to have one final look at them. The men they were about to kill were fathers to some and sons to others, Reveille told me.

They drew lots, and the task fell to a man whose last name Reveille remembered as Tessier, the brother of a local carpenter. After the trench was dug, Hannibal ordered the Germans who had pictures of their families to have one final look at them. The men they were about to kill were fathers to some and sons to others, Reveille told me.