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French Rail Car
https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23607		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Ted Miles [ Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:19 am ]
Post subject:  French Rail Car
Folks,

I was at a post card show yesterday and found a black and white card of the car that was used to sign the Armistace on 11/11/18 ending the First World War.

I have read that the same car was used by the Germans to accept the surrender of France in the Second World War.

I have never seen a chrome card of the car; which leads me to think it was destoyed later in the Second World War.

Can any one tell me if it still exists today and the name of the museum where it is housed if it is still with us?
Author:  Warren [ Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: French Rail Car
Interseting question, and as a Word War 2 history buff I to go a the hunt myself to see what did happen to it.

The 1918 armistice was signed in CIWL (Compagnie Internationale des Wagon-Lits) #2419 ("Le Wagon de l'Armistice"). The same wagon was also used for the 1940 armistice between France and Germany. The carriage was transported by road to Berlin on 24 June 1940 and displayed at the Brandenbourg Gate, then moved and set on a siding in Anhalt. It was then transported to Ordruhf where it was destroyed by the SS at the orders of Hitler in 1944 in front of the advancing American Army and the drive into Germany by Pattons Third Army. The signifigance of Orduhf as a resting place for the prized carriage was besides being a location of one the hubs of SS activity and a concentration camp, there was also an large "away" HQ bunker complex built there for Hitler.

There is a replica of the Wagonlit carriage at the French National Museum of Antiquities in Compiegne.
Hope this helps you some.
Author:  survivingworldsteam [ Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: French Rail Car
Warren wrote:
Interseting question, and as a Word War 2 history buff I to go a the hunt myself to see what did happen to it.

The 1918 armistice was signed in CIWL (Compagnie Internationale des Wagon-Lits) #2419 ("Le Wagon de l'Armistice"). The same wagon was also used for the 1940 armistice between France and Germany. The carriage was transported by road to Berlin on 24 June 1940 and displayed at the Brandenbourg Gate, then moved and set on a siding in Anhalt. It was then transported to Ordruhf where it was destroyed by the SS at the orders of Hitler in 1944 in front of the advancing American Army and the drive into Germany by Pattons Third Army. The signifigance of Orduhf as a resting place for the prized carriage was besides being a location of one the hubs of SS activity and a concentration camp, there was also an large "away" HQ bunker complex built there for Hitler.

There is a replica of the Wagonlit carriage at the French National Museum of Antiquities in Compiegne.
Hope this helps you some.


Yes, Hilter forced the French to sign the 1940 Armistice in the same car as the surrender of WWI was signed as "revenge". He then ordered the car blown up to prevent the Allies from using it for yet another surrender signing at the end of WWII.
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