Bastogne-And a Time to Remember

As we leisurely drove through the beautiful countryside of Belgium, en route to the southern city of Bastogne, it was hard to imagine (though we know it to be true) that nearly 60 years ago, this region was the site of one of the most significant battles of World War II. Today, driving on the modern super highways toward Bastogne, there are not many signs to make that evident, until you arrive in the immediate region of the battlefields.

The Citizens of Bastogne have been entrusted with the privileged duty of commemorating the sacrifices of those who fought and died in the defense of freedom. They have performed admirably in fulfilling that duty and, with painstaking accuracy, depicted the events and the hardships endured.

Belgians have built memorials, museums, displays, personal memorabilia and almost every possible thing has been thoroughly researched, restored and made available to those who come to see—and many do.

In addition to history, Bastogne also offers camping, cycling, climbing, abseiling, fishing, hiking, cross country skiing, signposted walks, and of course, eating, eating, and eating.

Quick Tips:

The monuments, battlefields and museums are scattered throughout the area and a car is necessary. A guided tour is possible by prior arrangement. Our guide, Henri Mignon is the authority on the Battle of the Bulge, having actually lived through the events as a child.

Mr. Mignon possesses knowledge the average tourist could not possibly glean from guidebooks or brochures. He took us into the forest where foxholes of the 502nd Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division are still quite evident- we would never have found these pieces of history on our own. As we stood there viewing the site, we could almost sense their presence. Although the area has been overgrown with tall pine trees that were not there in 1944, the foxholes are still clearly visible.

Bastogne boasts that it has over 500 shops, many of which are open on Sunday.

For a comprehensive listing of each monument and memorial check out the Center Research Information for the Battle of the Ardennes (C.R.I.B.A) Another great source of information is the Visit Belgium website.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you schedule a guided tour, especially with Mr. Mignon, he will be glad to drive your vehicle so that you can totally enjoy the surrounding landscape.

If you are a history buff and want to maximize your understanding of this area, I highly recommend seeing the following movies before your visit:

• The Battle of the Bulge
• Patton
• A Bridge Too Far
• Band of Brothers

As we entered the Lobby, we were greeted by the luxurious furnishing of the lounge, bright blues and warm wood tones invite guests to sit and relax. The area around the fireplace would be a perfect spot for a before-dinner drink.

The Hotel Melba has a wonderful restaurant for afternoon and evening dining as well as a breakfast buffet. On this day, we had lunch with our guide, Henri Mignon and Guy Blockmans from the Office de Promotion du Tourisme Wallonie–Bruxelles. Both of these gentlemen have a passion for the history of Bastogne and we felt privileged to be in their company.

Lunch started with wine and appetizers, served in a beautiful sitting area adjacent to the dining room. It was also here we were presented with the menus and made our selections for lunch. The "special of the day" was Chateau Briand, and that was the choice for all of us. The beef was cooked to perfection- tender and flavorful. It was surrounded by fresh steamed baby vegetables and the ever-present rolls and butter. We simply didn’t have any room for dessert.

If you prefer a la carte dining, Bastogne offers 30 restaurants to suit any taste.

The Hotel Melba offers 34 cozy rooms equipped with bath and shower, hair dryer, TV, direct telephone and minibar. It has every amenity you could want including a fitness room and sauna. Rates are between 75 – 84 Euro per room.

The Hotel Melba is a Best Western property and reservations can be made through Best Western facility or you can contact the hotel directly. Email: info@hotel-melba.com

Although the allied forces won the Battle of the Bulge, it took six weeks to push the German Army back to its initial positions. Both armies had to fight in bitter cold weather (December 1944 / January 1945) with thousands of lives lost and many more wounded. The most significant result was the turning point of the war; it ended in Europe within 4 months of the battle’s end.

Belgium and the surrounding countries had been living under occupation by the German Army for four years and in September of 1944 that occupation ended as the Allied Forces pushed their way through the region. After huge set backs such as this one, Adolph Hitler was determined to regain momentum in his war effort and ordered a new campaign to retake control of the River Meuse in the area known as the Ardennes.

Suddenly, and to the surprise of the Allies, on December 16, at 5:30 a.m. on a very cold and foggy morning, from Monschau to Echterach, the German Army took the offensive and began the Battle of the Bulge. The offensive in the north stalled due to fierce resistance by American Troops. In the South, despite massive difficulties, a crack Panzer Division pushed west to within an eye’s shot of the River. The German troops hesitated momentarily in order to refocus their attention on Bastogne, which stubbornly refused to surrender.

With the city completely surrounded, the German commander issued an ultimatum to the American units still entrenched in and around Bastogne. General McAuliffe, the allied Commander of the American Forces responded with the famous answer of "NUTS". And with fierce attack after attack they held out until the allied counter offensive began on January 3, 1945. The allies’ counter-attack led by General George Patton, placed an entire American Army on the move, fighting their way through the German lines, dividing their forces and breaking their grip on the city. Despite having to fight in the bitter cold and deep snow they succeeded in driving the German Army out of the region and for it not, the turning point of the War was in the balance.

The citizens of Bastogne and Belgians in general have worked hard to preserve the memories of those events. They have not only documented the courage of those who had to carry out the difficult task of fighting in severe and adverse conditions, but also served as witnesses and in many cases shared the task. Belgium, although small, did its part, a very big part.

Patton Memorial: Just to the southeast of Bastogne on the road to Arlon is a memorial to George W. Patton, Liberator of Bastogne.

Our guide shared a reprint of what has become known as General Patton’s Prayer. It fills an entire page and starts "Sir, this is Patton talking." It continues as somewhat of a monologue explaining to God how the weather has been affecting the battles and pleading "Sir I have never been an unreasonable man, I am not going to ask You for the impossible. I do not even insist upon a miracle, for all I request is four days of clear weather. Give me four clear days, so that my planes can fly, so that my fighter-bombers can bomb. . . give me four days of sunshine to dry this blasted mud, so that my tanks may roll, so that ammunition and rations can be taken to my hungry, ill-equipped infantry." He prays for relief for his troops, the wounded and dying, and the cold and hungry men under his command.

Although his prayer was not totally answered, there were enough breaks in the weather that allowed for some supply aircraft to reach Bastogne with badly needed food and medical supplies.

Patton died on December 21, 1945 as a result of an auto accident in Germany. He had requested that he be buried among the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Bulge. His wish was honored.

German Military Cemetery: Even though it seemed somewhat curious to me, it was also heart warming to think as we stood and gazed at the 6,807 headstones of those whom we once considered the "enemy", were no different then all the others who lived and died during those dark days. Fresh flowers had been placed in the small chapel at the entrance.

Indian Memorial: In nearby Racogne on a lonely two-lane road just past a meadow of buffalo we found the Indian Memorial. The plaque reads "In loving memory of American Indian Soldiers Fallen for the Liberation of Belgium".

The Peace Woods is the newest of the memorial dedicated at Bastogne. In 1994 on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, the children of Bastogne became the guardians of the Peace Woods. It occupies 6 acres out of a 60-acre forest belonging to the Town of Bastogne. A tree is planted and dedicated to each WW II Veteran who returns to Bastogne. Our guide told us that from the air, the trees form the shape of the UNICEF emblem (Mother & Child). This is one memorial that will continue to grow in size and scope for years to come.

Bastogne has created one of the world’s finest war museums. This Museum is unique because it is based on the advise of the opposing battlefield commanders and those in roles of authority. There are complete collections of authentic uniforms, weapons and materials of both armies, displayed in life-like scenes of battle scenarios. Commentaries are in English, French, Dutch and German.

One of the highlights of this museum is a 30- minute film presentation, telling the story of the Battle of Bastogne with the best actual footage taken during the war.

The gift shop offers souvenirs and all sorts of collector’s items including World War II military books. You should allow a minimum of 1 hour for the tour.

The Mardasson Memorial was built in 1950 and stands as a symbol of gratitude by the Belgian population for the liberation of the country by the American Army and the Allies. It is an ultra-modern five-point star-shaped structure. As we stood in the center of this structure, surrounded by large column supporting the top portion and looked up, we could see it was completely open to the sky above.

Around the crown of the monument are the names of the 48 United States during WW II, and on the interior walls of each point of the star is an engraved plaque describing the history of the Battle. Each of the 10 plaques takes you through the journey of the Battle for Bastogne, giving positions, weather conditions, the attacks and counter-attacks, the struggle of the men to stay warm, how the citizens of the Ardennes shared food, blankets and fuel with them.

The first plaque reads:

• This Memorial and the earth surrounding are dedicated to the enduring friendship of the peoples of Belgium and the United States who forged a bond from their common struggle to defeat the enemy of all free peoples…

On the 10th plaque are these words:

• In the battle fought here, 76.890 American were killed, or wounded, or were marked missing. Seldom has more American blood been spilt in the course of a single battle.

  The number of Belgians who died or suffered wounds or great privation helping these friends from overseas in the common defense cannot be known….Of these dead and of all who fought here, the now living may attest the greatness of the deed only by increased devotion to the freedom for which they braved the fire.