Evening star., 1945-11-11

pulIt IN AtnenS, Where PerlcleS gave ora
tions before the Athenian Assembly and
where st. Paul preached, the tomb of
her unknown soldier in Constitution
Square, the center of the classic city's
life. Before the recent tragic days OF
Greece, this place was described as half
park and half open-air cafe. In pre-
World War II days the tomb was guard
ed by killed members OF the Kings
bodyguard; this guard of honor was
called "Euzones." They wore the many
pleated "fustanella" from Albania, tas-
seled fez, embroidered vest, white wooden
tights and pompon slippers. Carved on
the memorial is helmeted figure re-
sembling the ancient warriors of Greece
and the names of ancient battle sites in
the Balkan wars when Greece threw of
the Ottoman yoke.
The Famous French Shrine
The French unknown soldier, whose
tomb has become one of the worlds
most famous shrines, inherited Napo-
Icons century-old Arc de Triomphe The
arc itself was begun by Napoleon in
memory of victories less famous than
Waterloo's defeat and was completed by
Louis Philippe in 1885, four years before
the Emperor's body, back from St.
Helena. was saluted there on its way to
the Invalides Reliefs on the facaoes of
the arch depict Napoleon's victories.
Stairs lead to the top of the structure,
from which one may get an excellent
view of the city. The arch is SO large
that, on one occasion soon after Armis-
tice Day of World War I, French fly
ing ace few pursuit plane through the
archway at speed of l40 miles an hour.
1t is located in one of the busiest places
in Paris, in the Place d'Etoile (PIace of
the STAR from which streets and ave-
nues radiate as from the United States
Capitol.
flame has burned since it was first
lighted on November II. 1923, bears the
simple inscription: Here rests a
French soldier who died for the Father
land, 1914-l9l8." An Associated Press
correspondent, Edward D. Bell, writ
ing from Paris on August 26, 1914,
said that the usual bouquet of flowers,
consisting of brilliant red gladioluses, was
on that glad day of liberation placed at
the head of the fame with note read
ing, France lives after Hitler" and that
from the arch was draped a 50-foot tri-
color. The day after Paris liberation
sisters and nuns in white held memo
rial service at the tomb for those who
had lost their lives in combat.
Flame Kept Burning
A later account, written by another
A. P. correspondent, Nedville Nord-
ness, tells how the gas-fed fame was
kept burning in all of the years of occu-
patton. The nightly prewar custom of
turning the fame up high to the salute
of beating drums was suspended while
the Germans had control of the city, but
the correspondent was advised by M.
Leon Moussou, vice president of COM
mittee entitled Keepers of the Undying
Flame" that the committee planned to
recommence this service soon after the
liberation.
M. Moussou informed Mr.. Nordness
that the Germans used to goosestep by
the tomb every day in the changing of
the guard and other military ceremonies
and paid their respects by saluting the
grave. However, the Nazis ordered civil
ians to keep away at those periods, say
ing, 1--WE are willing to honor your dead,
but not French civilians" and would
not allow the French to place the tri-
color on the grave as was done before
the war. M. Mousson further stated
that Hitler never officially visited the
tomb as was commonly believed, but
that many other German officials did.
On June IA, 1910. when the Germans
entered Paris, Nazi general alighted
in the Place de la Concorde, walked up
the Champs Elysees, knelt before the
tomb and made the sign of the cross.
Then he turned and asked M. Moussou
if the French wished to keep the fame
alive. The latter replied that he thought
1t was a shame for the German flag to
be raised over Frances unknown SOL
dier. So the general ordered the flag
down. Then M. Moussou was glad that
he had not destroyed the grave and
flame system as he had been inclined
to do rather than let the Germans mo-
lest it. During the liberation M. Nous
sou himself attended the flame every
day in spite of fighting close by; a one
legged guard of the Arc de Triomphe
watched it continually to prevent van
dalism by the Germans.
Belgium's Tomb
In 1922 Belgium constructed her Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier in a manner
somewhat similar to the one below the
Arc de Triomphe. 1t is in the older part
of the upper town of Brussels on a ter
race providing a fine view of the lower
town that there rises the "Colonne du
Congress" 148 feet in height. It was
erected in 1850-1859 to commemorate the
"Congres" of 1880 when Belgium, de-
clared her independence from Holland.
The column is surmounted by bronze
statue of Leopold I, the nations first
ruler following the winning of her inde-
pendence. Nine figures are in relief be-
low, representing the provinces Of the
country. Four bronze figures at the base
are emblematic Of the freedom OF the
press, freedom of education, freedom of
association and freedom Of public wor-
ship. Just outside the entrance of this
column is the Tomb OF the Unknown
Soldier: fame burns continually at the
head Of the tomb. Belgium's unknown
warrior was one of more than $4,000 in
that nations small army who were killed
or died Of wounds and illness in World
Wor r