Here's the other Falaise 'war relic' which I was determined to find on this visit.
This is the Girls' School which was literally defended to the death by remnants of 'Panzer' Meyer's 12th SS
Hitlerjugend Division. All accounts of the fighting in Falaise refer to this building which is actually not easy to find ; it's away from the town centre. When I found it, its choice as a defensive location made sense ; it overlooks the town toward the direction from which the Canadians were advancing, and the fields of fire from the higher windows perfectly cover all approaches to the start of the Falaise/Trun road, down which the last German forces were retreating toward the Gap.
50-60
Hitlerjugend defended the school, and only 6 ( or 8, depending on which account you read ) emerged alive at the end of the battle.
It was originally L-shaped, but one wing was too badly damaged in the fighting to repair.
Front view : -
And rear : -
