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Origin and history

The national necropolis of Chambière, located in Metz in the Moselle department, was created in 1870 following the Franco-German War. After the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine by Germany, it became a garrison cemetery under imperial administration. Today, this place gathers burials of French, German and Allies soldiers from the 1870, 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 conflicts.

In 1918, after the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France, the necropolis was officially designated as a national necropolis, reserved for war graves. It houses 5,014 individual graves and 11 ossuaryes containing the remains of 13,015 people, including civilians and soldiers of various nationalities (Russian, British, Italian, Belgian).

The site includes several memorials, such as the Women of Metz Memorial (1871), the tomb of General Razout, and an Italian military square of the First World War. One monument pays tribute to the unknown soldiers of 1939-1945, while another is dedicated to the French and Russian prisoners of war in Woippy camp. The necropolis was listed as historical monuments by order of 28 December 2017.

Its historical interest covers several key periods: the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the annexation of the Moselle, and the two world wars. The monuments it houses, such as the tomb of General Jean Marcel Robert Guitry, bear witness to its authenticity and heritage value.

The necropolis is located on Rue des Deux Cimetières in Metz, in an area bounded by cadastral plots 12 (section 12) and 4, 16, 19 (section 13). Its access is free, and it is a major place of memory for the Greater East Region, recalling the sacrifices of soldiers and civilians during these conflicts.

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