60 years after Battle of the Bulge

Both my wife, JoAnn, and I are World War II history buffs, primarily because family members were in uniform during that period. Beside the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944, probably the best known and most ferocious battle was the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg and Belgium.

Dec. 16, ’04, marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge, a last-ditch German offensive aimed at capturing the Belgian port of Antwerp and changing the course of WWII. Though we knew we’d miss many of the ceremonies, JoAnn and I thought we’d get a jump on it through a trip to Luxembourg, Belgium and France in December ’03.

The battle began at 5:30 a.m. when an artillery barrage preceded the advance of the German tanks across the Dasburg border bridge over the Our River between Germany and Luxembourg. Though caught by surprise, the American and British forces fought bravely against overwhelming force and gradually retreated, creating a “bulge” in the front lines — hence the name.

Less than three weeks later, on Jan. 3, 1945, in bitter cold and snow, the Allied counteroffensive began. By the end of the battle, on Jan. 28, 1945, when the Germans had been pushed back to their original positions on the Siegfried Line, there were nearly 250,000 Allied and German casualties.

Proof of the ferocity of the fighting are the many cemeteries throughout the region. Probably the best known is the Luxembourg American Cemetery, a 50-acre site near the town of Hamm, about a 10-minute drive from Luxembourg City. The remains of over 5,000 Americans are interred there, including General George Patton. It’s definitely worth a visit.

Though dozens of towns and villages saw heavy fighting, most people only remember Bastogne, in Belgium, where General McAuliffe responded to the German demand for surrender with one word: “Nuts.”

Those visiting Bastogne today should, by all means, take time to visit the Bastogne Historical Center. Among the highlights are wax figures of General McAuliffe and his aides. There is also a German tank, painted white to blend in with the snow-covered countryside.

Before beginning the tour there, we saw an outstanding video of the battle, much of it actual footage, taken by both Americans and Germans.

Weapons captured or abandoned by the Germans are on display, including machine guns, rifles, pistols, flamethrowers and panzerfausts (antitank weapons), battle flags, mortars, personnel carriers and much more. After the war, General Hasso von Manteuffel, commander of the German forces, donated his uniform to the museum.

We didn’t want to rush our tour of Bastogne, so we stayed overnight at Hotel Collin, on the square where a Sherman tank is located. The room was very comfortable and overlooked the square. We paid €78 (near $95) a night for two nights. We also enjoyed an excellent lunch and dinner (mussels for €9 and frog legs for €12) in the hotel’s restaurant, which was heavily patronized by locals.

In contrast to Bastogne, at the Military Museum at Diekirch, Luxembourg, the battle is reflected from the point of view of Luxembourg’s civilian population. It is very impressive. The museum, in the midst of an expansion program, is filled with original photos, vehicles, weapons and other memorabilia. JoAnn and I spent over two hours there.

The curator, Roland Gaul (e-mail roljg@pt.lu), is a noted author and an expert on the battle. Though we took our Bulge tour on our own, Roland is available for personal tours at $150 per day. While he tailors his tours to the interests of participants, he can schedule visits to major and minor sites in Belgium and Luxembourg as well as to West Wall bunkers (Siegfried Line) in Germany.

JoAnn and I decided to take Roland’s suggestion and stay at Hotel Dahm in Erpeldange, about a 10-minute drive from the museum. We paid €80 ($98) a night for the room, which was oversize and very comfortable. We also were impressed with the hotel’s restaurant. Dinner for two with wine was about €70.

The hotel is only about a 5-minute drive from the General Patton museum in Ettelbrück. Also within a short driving distance is the National War Resistance Museum in Esch-sur-Alzette, which traces the Luxembourgers’ fight against the German occupation. The castle in Wiltz also has interesting exhibits.

Another recommended stop is the museum at Clervaux, a picturesque Luxembourg town in a mountainous area near the German border. The town, which was almost completely destroyed during the German offensive, has been rebuilt.

Located in a castle overlooking the town is the museum, which is different from the ones in Bastogne and Diekirch. Hundreds of letters, insignias, medals, SS daggers, helmets and photos of the town’s destruction are displayed. It also has exhibits of propaganda leaflets, interesting trinkets sold by the Germans to help finance the war effort, and photos of individual German soldiers.

Many Americans still remember the name Malmédy. On the first day of the von Rundstedt offensive, German SS troops executed 84 POWs, including doctors and medical orderlies. Today in Belgium, an impressive monument is located near Malmédy at the Baugnez crossroads.

The Battle of the Bulge area is so extensive that it is difficult to cover more than the best-known sites in a short period of time. But for those who want a really in-depth tour, practically every town and village has some sort of a memorial or museum. Worth considering for brief stops are museums in La Gleize, which features a German King Tiger tank, La Roche-en-Ardenne and, southwest of La Gleize, Florenne (Spitfires).

The farthest German penetration was to the outskirts of Dinant, a charming Belgian city well worth a visit. It was there on the day before Christmas that the German tanks were destroyed. After that decisive defeat, the German Army abandoned its goal of crossing the Meuse and reaching Antwerp. As a result, the German High Command’s strategy called for assaulting the key crossroads town of Bastogne.

From the fortress perched about 300 feet above the city, the view of the Meuse is outstanding. While not WWII related, the fortress has an excellent display of weapons, cannons and life-size characters immortalizing key periods in European and Belgian history. It’s accessible by cable car, stone stairs or automobile. We decided to drive.

For a copy of the battle map or more details about the region, contact the Belgian Tourist Office (780 Third Ave., Ste. 1501, New York, NY 10017). Also contact the Luxembourg National Tourist Office (17 Beekman Place, New York, NY 10022).

BILL KOFOED
Ft. Pierce, FL