Archaeologists Find Evidence of Mass Execution of Nazis

Months after a French resistance fighter came forward to reveal that his detachment executed 46 German soldiers during World War II, a dig has found evidence that such a mass execution did take place. Archaeologists from both Germany and France excavated an area near Meymac in the remote part of France where the execution reportedly took place and where, per France24, a possible mass grave was found in July. And while no bodies were found, the teams say they did find bullets, cartridges, and coins, the BBC reports. "The bodies are definitely there somewhere. We are not going to stop now," said an official in the French Veterans' Affairs Office after the eight-day excavation.

Edmond Réveil, the 98-year-old former resistance fighter who spoke out months ago, says that while his detachment was marching the prisoners (along with a French woman suspected of collaborating with occupying forces) through the countryside shortly after D-Day, the order came down to execute them. Réveil said that though he refused to take part, he watched as the prisoners were forced to dig their own graves before being killed. The dig has been suspended for now, but after analysis of the area and what has been found so far is complete, teams will resume the search. (More World War II stories.)