Bastogne 2014 #7: Reenactment in Recogne and Cobru

Another big attraction during the anniversary weekends is a big reenactment of the occupation of the two towns of Recogne (U.S) and Cobru (German), followed by an reenacted battle.

In Recogne, the U.S. Army reenactors had set up camp, including several vehicles and even a scout tank. Further away in Cobru, the German Army reenactors were busy preparing the attack on Recogne.

 

While a huge crowd gathered between the two towns, loudspeakers were playing songs from the 40s, both American and German. Before the reenacted battle started, a narrator explained the background of the battle in French, followed by addresses to the international visitors in English and German. Meanwhile the U.S. soldiers were taking positions in front of the crowd, while far in the distance German tanks and soldiers could be seen gathering. The first attack was the Germans capturing the town, taking over the American positions. The second attack was then by the Americans, finally liberating Recogne again.

Bastogne 2014 #4: Sound and Light Show at the Mardasson

One of the highlights of each anniversary’s celebration is the nighttime sound and light show at the Mardasson Memorial. This year’s show included the whole memorial acting as a screen for video projections, with artists performing on and around it. Especially memorable were:

  • The artistic depictions of Nazi Germany bringing war and sorrow all over Europe: an actor with a burning halo of torches, pouring a burning liquid forming trails of fire in the snow. This came with an rather interesting choice of background music by the way: “Ich Will” by German band Rammstein, which actually is rather left wing.
  • An Artist dressed as an American soldier running up and down the memorial’s walls, suspended on invisible wires, partly with fireworks imitating shooting around him.
  • Several Actors dressed as American soldiers lighting candles at the stairs in front of the memorial

Bastogne 2014 #3: Recogne German war cemetery

There are no allied war cemeteries near Bastogne any more, since after the war the graves were moved further north to the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial near Liege. Today, the remains of over 6800 axis soldiers, victims of the fighting around Bastogne as well as of the previous invasion and occupation of Belgium, are buried in the German war cemetery at Recogne near Foy. The site is maintained by the German War Graves Commission and consists of a small chapel next to a field of simple stone crosses, each having up to 6 names inscribed.

Bastogne 2014 #2: The Bois Jacques woods near Foy

Next we visited the Bois Jacques, a wood near the village of Foy. Here the foxholes are still visible where “Easy” Company of the U.S. 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division held out under German shelling and attacks from the village of Foy. This small part of the Battle of the Bulge was made famous by the TV miniseries Band of Brothers produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks: Episode 7 “The Breaking Point” focused on the events here.

In the woods we were not only witnessing an american history show for TV being filmed, but were also later approached by two reenactors in U.S. uniforms that turned out to be Germans from near our hometown. We were unexpectedly invited for coffee (prepared on a gasoline cooker) and calvados (from a barrel fixed to the front of their jeep). While we had some nice conversation, more and more reenactors and WWII vehicles arrived at the clearing in the woods where we stood. Finally we headed back towards Bastogne and stopped at the official Easy Company memorial, donated (among others) by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hanks and the Jeep company.

Bastogne 2014 #1: Bastogne Barracks

We are a small group interested in history who met while playing online games. Once in a while we visit historically important places together. We did so in 2004 going to Bastogne, Belgium, to take part in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the successful defense of Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. This had been a great opportunity to not only visit the museums and other sights in and around Bastogne, but also meet and talk to several veterans from both sides.

10 years later, in 2014, we returned for the 70th anniversary.

We started the first day with visiting the Bastogne Barracks, which is operated by the Belgian army and normally is only accessible through free guided tours. Apart from museum-like exhibitions, it also features a vehicle restoration center. Here, army experts and volunteers restore historical vehicles to running order. Some allied vehicles and tanks were paraded in the barracks, and several more were on static display in the restoration center. One WWII tank not related to the western front, a heavy Russian ISU-152, was also shown driving around the center – an impressive sight and very memorable sound. This tank unfortunately broke down later on and had to be towed away by a modern recovery tank Bergepanzer 2. Here is a gallery with some impressions:

 

This is also the place where the U.S. 101st Airborne had their headquarters and their acting commander General McAuliffe famously replied “Nuts!” in response to a German demand for surrender.

[More photos to be added]