Haumont-près-Samogneux is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France.
The capture of the town by the German Fifth Army began the Battle of Verdun during World War I in 1916. Since then, it has been unoccupied (official population: 0) along with Bezonvaux, Beaumont-en-Verdunois, Louvemont-Côte-du-Poivre, Cumières-le-Mort-Homme and Fleury-devant-Douaumont.
During the war, the town was completely destroyed and the land was made uninhabitable to such an extent that a decision was made not to rebuild it. The site of the commune is maintained as a testimony to war and is officially designated as a "village that died for France." It is managed by a municipal council of three members appointed by the prefect of the Meuse department.
See also
- Zone rouge (First World War)
- List of French villages destroyed in World War I
- Communes of the Meuse department
References
Robson, Stuart (2007). The First World War (1 ed.). Harrow, England: Pearson Longman. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-4058-2471-2 – via Archive Foundation. 978-1-4058-2471-2 ↩