From 1914 to 1918, Flanders Fields was a major battle theatre on the Western Front during the First World War. A million soldiers from more than 50 different countries were wounded, missing or killed in action here. Entire cities and villages were destroyed, their population scattered across Europe and beyond. The destruction of the city of Ypres and the brutal conditions endured during the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres) became worldwide symbols for the senselessness of war. Today, the peaceful region still bears witness to this history through its monuments, museums, cemeteries and the countless individual stories that link it with the world.
Polygon Wood is a large wood, which was completely destroyed in the First World War. During the First World War, the cemetery started out as a German cemetery ‘Polygon Field’. When the Australian troops took the area, the British subsequently decided to construct their own cemetery. The cemeteries were constructed after the war; the British section followed a design by Charles Holden. The German section was partly excavated in 1955, only the grave of the German Hans Bogner remains.
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