As the anniversary of D-Day approached, Westporters Jeffrey Mayer and Nancy Diamond visited France.
It was much more than an ordinary journey. They write:
Eighty years to the day have passed since Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, launching a 2 1/2-month operation to liberate France from 5 years of Nazi occupation.
American soldiers move through the ruins of Marigny, 1944.
For Marigny-le-Luzon the “débarquement” (as the French call the landing), remains fresh, in part because of a remarkable bond of friendship with the town of Westport.
Devastated in World War II, this would become Place de Westport.
Two years after the war, Staples High School French teacher Charlotte MacLear visited this small town of 2,700, and asked what she could do.
Staples French teacher Charlotte MacLear, with her Sorbonne diploma.
Over the next 15 years, Westporters helped Marigny rebuild. They funded construction of the school cafeteria, destroyed in the fighting. They restored the stained glass windows of the Gothic church.
Ruins of Marigny’s Sainte-Pierre Church.
They sent Christmas presents to the town’s children, every year for 15 years.
A few of those children met us this week in the Place de Westport, Marigny’s main square. They took us to the Mairie, the town hall, where the council chamber is named for Charlotte MacLear.
The walls of the chamber have only two decorations: a portrait of French President Emmanuel Macron, and Charlotte MacLear’s signature.
In the corner, a glass case contains some of the gifts sent by Westporters: a doll carriage, ruler, board game, and a small horse received by one of our hosts.
The room with Charlotte MacLear’s signature, and a display case of Westport memorabilia.
The gratitude of the citizens of Marigny is on display everywhere. Throughout town, the American flag flies.
In the town library, a thick binder contains the history of our relationship. It includes pictures of Charlotte MacLear, and of children receiving gifts from the mayor at the time, plus lists of the Westport and Marigny exchange students who visited each other over the years.
In the restored church we visited the colorful 18 stained glass windows that were restored “grace à Westport,” as our hosts told us.
Each window contains an inscription in lead: “Don de la ville de Westport, Etats-Unis d’Amérique” (“Given by the town of Westport, United States of America”).
Inscription in the Marigny church.
On the edge of Marigny we found a large stone, dedicated to 3,070 American soldiers temporarily buried in Marigny before being moved to the American cemetery at Omaha Beach.
The monument to 3,070 American soldiers buried in Marigny, before being moved to the American cemetery at Omaha Beach.
Our hosts had prepared a beautiful bouquet of flowers, which we placed at the foot of the monument.
Before leaving Marigny, Nancy and I presented to Deputy Mayor Huguette Masson several books by Dan Woog and Woody Klein about the history of Westport, and one from the Westport Permanent Art Collections; caps and medals from the Westport Police Department courtesy of Chief Foti Koskinas, and Westport memorabilia sent by First Selectwoman Jen Tooker.
Members of the Marigny-Westport Association, wearing their new Westport police caps. From left: Huguette Besson, Marie Charles, Marcelle Bleas-Franke, Cecile Turgid, Bernadette Hommet.
We were given, in turn, a book for the Westport Library written by René Gautier, the town’s passionate historian. We visited him in the France-USA Memorial Hospital in St. Lô, where he has been undergoing medical tests.
Jeff Mayer and Nancy Diamond visited Marigny historian René Gautier at the France-USA Memorial Hospital in St. Lo, where he is having tests. They presented him with gifts from Westport.
We were also presented with caps bearing the names of Westport, Marigny and Lyman, the Ukrainian town that Westport and Marigny have supported since 2022.
As one of our hosts observed, the fight for liberty does not end.
Westport Pharmacie on the Place Westport. Note the street sign on the corner.
Window of the Westport Pharmacie, with a display of memorabilia from World War II and the liberation of Marigny on July 17, 1944. (All photos courtesy of Jeffrey Mayer and Nancy Diamond)
Fascinating history, Mayer & Diamond are awesome.
This story touched my heart. It is a tribute to the power of kindness and connection. We can be ordinary people and still make a difference, especially in a time of great need, especially by keeping steady over time. What a meaningful trip, remembering history together, and seeing evidence that generosity matters.
Amazing story. Thank you Dan for sharing. It is incredible how Westport has a history of giving back 80 years ago. There is not a better town in America to live than right here. Every place gets their minute madness on this topic or that, however, when you rise above the trees, and really look down at the forest, the town of Westport is an amazing corner of America. It represents the ultimate thanks to those great souls who endured D-Day, 80 years ago, in what that great generation fought for, so that we would have times and places just like this.
I learn something new every time you write a story on Marigny & Westport- so thank you for keeping this history alive 80 years later. I hope Westport & Marigny look back years from now & see how things have changed for the better in our new sister city, Lyman. Thank you to the Westport citizens who years ago were compassionate, sent aid to Marigny & changed both town’s histories. And to those today who keep the history of the past alive & show us how kindness in the world can change us all for the better.
a celebration to the brave and dedicated who fought as one to American values of democracy. The brave young men gave their lives to overthrow authoritarian leaders and anti American values. May we continue to act in unity to support democracy and join in Unity against all Anti Democratic leaders This history is only 80 years old and may be repeated. The war in Ukraine is such a test. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine 2014. Americas ally’s are under threat. May we act in unity to celebrate democracy and our traditional American values.
What a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing.
A beautiful story that helps us stay connected to a hugely important historical event that grows more distant. I hope it is shared and discussed in some form in our Westport schools today. Thanks Dan.
The popularity of the miniseries “Band of Brothers” and film “Saving Private Ryan” have significantly boosted the interest in D-Day and tourism in Normandy. A few years back I took a military history tour and visited many of the D-Day landmarks and museums (which have flourished in the past 20 years or so and continue to grow).
I expected to see mostly American and British visitors at these sites but to my surprise there were many local people old and young. Also you will see more Stars & Stripes and Union Jacks flying all over the region than you see at home.
Every little village seem to have their own Sherman tank on display in the square and it is freshly painted and landscaped with obvious pride. 80 years later the French people genuinely appreciate the sacrifice of the Allied forces who liberated them from Nazi tyranny. Marigny clearly has not forgotten.
Mlle. MacLear was my French teacher at Staples, and inspired a life-long love of all things French, including a Junior Year in Paris. And I remember sending a present every year to a child in Marigny, with a carefully written note (which in a few cases led to a penpal for the next few years.) I’ve always loved the international vision of Westport, including the UN (thanks to Ruth Steinkraus Cohen) and Westports of the World, which met here in the 1980s. And I’m happy to see these traditions continued.
Miss MacLear was also my French teacher. We collected gifts to send to Marigny at Christmas on also on D Day and received thank you letters in return. It was a wonderful way to open our eyes to the world outside our borders.
Thank you, Nancy and Jeffrey, for helping to keep the bonds of our towns strong; and to you, Dan, for recounting their story of their trip. My world is a little brighter having read about Mme MacLear as we reflect on the sacrifices made by so many on this day and the following weeks. She was part of the greatest generation right along with them.
All the comments are wonderful. As commented also by Debbie Omalley, Miss MacLear was also my French teacher. She taught us more than the French Language when she led us in so many ways to learn about Marigny and the heroism and dedication of the French people and our own men in uniform during WWII
In the 1990’s, a French teacher from St. Lo, Madeleine Koziol arrived in Westport with 5 students from Normandy. The children stayed with several families and Madeleine and one of the boys stayed at our house. We actually celebrated Passover and Easter all together. They visited Town Hall and there is a plaque on the wall. Everyone learned a lot during that time. Several of the students went to France and Madeleine, who was a English teacher showed them Paris and all the history.
I am still friends and email often with Madeleine. She was the first to come here and I was lucky to visit her in France.