German Exercise Trenches Landscape De Liereman

From September 1943 to April 1944, the newly established SS-armored division Hitlerjugend stayed in the Kempen. In Oud-Turnhout the divisional headquarters was located on the Zwanestrand, SS-Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler paid a short visit here on January 30, 1944.
The 12th SS-Aufklärungsabteilung was billeted in the schools.

What is today the landscape of De Liereman was then used as a training ground, here was practiced with live ammunition to make everything as realistic as possible for the young recruits.
Today we can still see the remains of practice positions on the heathland of Vandamme.
These are still clearly visible in relief photos and comprise a first line with three machine-gun and mortar positions and a second line with two connecting trenches in between.
As this is a valuable nature reserve, they are not accessible to the public.

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Source

• Text: Jhonny Bastiaensen
• Photos: Jhonny Bastiaensen