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The German soldiers who died in the Battle of Mühlhausen in August 1914 are buried there, including the first casualty of World War I. It's a bit off the beaten track and very well maintained.

Beneath the forest canopy, you can discover numerous traces of bygone times, still visible or legible; only the "barracks" have disappeared. During a guided tour with one of the site's enthusiastic volunteers, you can explore the underground tunnels and discover the organization of this impressive military infrastructure. Of course, you can also visit the surface infrastructure yourself, following the marked route, where the panels provide detailed explanations. An application, "Site du Grand Canon de Zillisheim," is also available for download.

In 1720, the religious building was recorded as a ruin. Reconstruction work began in 1765. The chapel was destroyed during the Revolution and rebuilt in 1870, expanded in 1925, and the last restoration was carried out in 1998.

The Illfurth German War Cemetery was established by the French military authorities in April 1920. As a collective cemetery, it housed some of the fallen soldiers from the battles of August 7 and 17, 1914. The transfer of war dead to Illfurth, who had been provisionally buried in 64 municipalities and districts during the war or who had died in French captivity, ended in 1924. Among those reburied was the first German casualty of the 1914-1918 War on the Western Front, Lieutenant Albert Mayer, who fell on August 2, 1914, while on patrol. The first French soldier also lost his life in this battle. Several memorials erected in field cemeteries during the war were also relocated to Illfurth.

A few more photos and texts can be found in the corresponding hiking highlight in the komoot system, under the title "Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Neiges" it can be reached with the following link =>>https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/3297592

Many churches in France, including this chapel, are dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the widely used title "Notre-Dame" (in German: "Our Dear Lady"). A brief thought on the Mother of God from Albino Luciani (Pope John Paul I): "Mary is indeed our sister, as Saint Ambrose says. She led a life very similar to ours. It is of course beautiful to venerate Mary as the Virgin and Mother of God, as the one conceived immaculately by original sin and taken up into heaven; but she is also the Madonna of plates, brooms and cooking pots..." The visitor to the small Marian shrine can decide for himself which "Notre-Dame" he would like to venerate here.

This site is the location of a “KW” cannon of the “Kaiser Wilhelm Geschutze” or “Max le long” type whose mission, during the First World War, was to fire large detonations at Belfort to provide a diversion during attacks. on Verdun and the forts of Vaux and Douaumont.

A pretty village, mentioned for the first time in 837. Stroll through the town center and towards the Notre Dame des Neiges chapel in front of which are two beautiful old lime trees.