The attack was carried out by soldiers of the Der Führer Regiment of the 2nd Waffen-SS Panzer Division Das Reich. On that day they killed a total of 642 men, women and children without giving any reasons for their actions and to this day there is no universally accepted explanation for the massacre. The narrative, In a Ruined State, gives a full description of what happened on the 10th June 1944 and reviews all the current explanations offered by different authors for the event. In addition there are over 200 photographs in the Picture Gallery and much supporting data in the Appendices, including advice on how to get there and places to stay in the area.