Route of Commemoration No.2: Surrender of the Vennbahn to Belgium

In 1885 there was a grand opening of the railway tracks between Aachen Rothe Erde and Malmedy. It was of enormous impertance fort he economical development of the structurally weak Eifel in addition to public transportation and the transport of goods of all kinds, ore and caol trains commuted on the tracks between Alsace and the Ruhr area.
After the end of World War I the treaty of Versailles granted Belgium the counties Eupen and Malmedy-St.Vith as well as the railway tracks between Raeren and Kaltherberg to compensate fort he extensive war damages. The take over took place on November 1st 1921. Since then the 28,5km long tracks have been Belgium sovereign territory on German soil.
Freight transportation came to an end at the end of the 1920s duet of customs regulations. Public transportation declined as well and was not restarted after the end of World War II. Henceforth the Vennbahn around the Monschauer Land was only used for local freight transportation and troops transports to Elsenborn. The last freight train rolled on June 30th 1989.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Hans Tasma