Ardenne_Abbey

Ardenne Abbey (French: Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ardenne), the Abbey of Our Lady of Ardenne, is a former Premonstratensian abbey founded in the 11th century and located near Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe in Calvados, near Caen, France. It is now occupied by the Institute of Contemporary Publishing Archives. Several buildings of the abbey have been preserved, including the church. These are protected as historic monuments.In June 1944, 18 Canadian soldiers were executed at the abbey by members of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. Evidence showed they were shot in the back of the head. The event has become known as the Ardenne Abbey massacre.