In Memory of a Massacre of Churches by Marcel Proust. Short summary

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At the time of writing the work was the First World War, the actions of which unfolded, including in French territory. Many towns and villages suffered, and historic churches were destroyed.

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Leaving home in the afternoon, the narrator was in a hurry to get to his parents’ house before dark. He was halfway between Lisieux and Louvier. Along the road are old, ramshackle houses, and over the flat plain rise two towering bell towers, belonging to the church of St. Stephen and one of St. Peter.

Although he drove very fast, the belfries were still visible on the horizon. When the distance cleared like fog, the outline of the tower of the Church of the Holy Trinity could be seen. After the narrator drove very close to the church, he asked the chauffeur to stop.

At the time the work was being written, World War I was going on. Part of the hostilities on the Western Front had unfolded on French territory. As a result, many towns and villages were significantly affected, and historic churches were destroyed en masse. The famous Rheims Cathedral in Champagne was turned into ruins by German artillery in the early fall of 1914.