BASTOGNE & LUXEMBOURG - WWII tour
Luxembourg. We stayed in Luxembourg for a couple of nights as it was a good base for traveling to the countryside to explore the WWII historical sites.
Our guide Henry had an incredibly detailed and personal knowledge of the battle of the bulge. Henry was only 9 yrs old when the American forces occupied Bastogne including his family's home farm. He also witnessed the arrival of the American forces who saved the town. The American forces were and are regarded as heroes in his town and there are American flags hung all over the area. He said that older German soldiers that occupied his family home for years were fairly respectful of the family and would split the meat and milk from their farm with them. When the younger Nazi soldiers arrived the older german soldiers warned the family that they should be careful around them, that they weren't like normal soldiers. One night, they huddled in the corner of the kitchen as the Nazi soldiers (who were as young as 18 yrs old) almost beat a fellow solider to death for being drunk. He also shared his tragic story of how during the fall of 1944, he his father was killed when he went out to gather milk and got mistaken for a German solider by the Americans. They all gathered around him while he took his last breath on their kitchen floor. Henry said he lost several of his young friends after the war from playing with old machinery that would still be loaded and would accidentally explode. Henry then went on to join the Belgium military and was a high ranking officer. He acted as a historical guide soldiers that fought in the battle and wanted to return to get closure decades later during historical commemorations. He also guided the directors of the well known TV show 'Band of Brothers'.
German solider cemetery. You can notice the difference easily between the german and American graveyards.
American memorial.
Spending Valentines day on a train.
