Handwritten Copies of Iconic Poem Added to UNESCO Register

Just before Remembrance Day, four handwritten copies of John McCrae’s famous war poem, In Flanders Fields, have been officially recognized and added to the Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. This registry, initiated by UNESCO in 1992, aims to identify documentary heritage of exceptional universal significance and to promote its preservation and accessibility.

Deep Saini, president and vice-chancellor of McGill University, expressed the poem’s enduring impact: “In Flanders Fields continues to move hearts around the world, reminding us of the human cost of war and the enduring power of compassion.” McCrae, who was both a professor and physician at McGill, cared for thousands of soldiers during the First World War alongside his colleagues at Montreal’s No. 3 Canadian General Hospital.

Written in the spring of 1915, McCrae composed the poem while serving as a lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The piece emerged after the death of a friend during the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium. More than a century later, In Flanders Fields remains a staple at Remembrance Day ceremonies across Canada.

Significance of the Handwritten Copies

The four copies recognized by UNESCO include an autographed version that McCrae sent to a friend, Carleton Noyes, on May 31, 1916. This version slightly differs from the published text, as its first line ends with the word “grow” instead of “blow.” This suggests that McCrae may have revised the poem after its initial publication as its popularity grew.

McGill University’s Osler Library of the History of Medicine preserves one of the originals, while the other three were copied from McCrae’s manuscript and circulated among his friends and fellow members of the Canadian Army Medical Corps, including Andrew Macphail, Clare Gass, and Edward William Archibald.

Svetlana Kochkina, a librarian at the Osler Library and the driving force behind adding the copies to the UNESCO register, emphasized the importance of accessibility. “For these papers, the distinction means more exposure — more people knowing that we have those incredible treasures,” she stated. Kochkina noted that the copies will be available online, allowing anyone in the world to access them.

Celebrating Canadian Heritage

The head librarian of the Osler Library, Mary Hague-Yearl, reflected on the significance of the handwritten copies, stating that they highlight the contrast between the beauty of nature and the brutality of war. She described the recognition of these copies as a celebration of Canadian heritage, noting, “So many people have grown up with this poem.”

Kochkina added that the variation in the text highlights McCrae’s continued engagement with the poem, even after it was widely published. This aspect of the poem serves as a reminder of both the horrors McCrae witnessed in battle and the enduring power of friendship and creativity.

David Schimpky, director of the secretariat for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, remarked on the profound influence of In Flanders Fields on the commemoration of war in Canada and beyond. He stated, “It is fitting that it be recognized in alignment with Remembrance Day, when so many Canadians commemorate the sacrifices of war while wearing a red poppy.”

The addition of these handwritten copies to the UNESCO register not only preserves McCrae’s legacy but also ensures that future generations will continue to engage with his poignant reflections on the impact of war.