Route of Commemoration No.11: Military Base of Elsenborn

The military base of Elsenborn was built in 1894-95 by the German empire and served as military training area. During the First World War, it was used as artillery depotconstruction centre an as prison camp. After having been in Britisch hands for a short time. The Belgian army took contol over the base in 1920 and used it for artillery training.
On May 10th, 1940 the Wehrmacht occupied the base. Later on, the base was used to accommodate east-European prisoners of war.
On August 9th, 1944 the American Air Force bembed the base, 200 people were killed and 70% of the buildings were destroyed.
In September 1944 US troops occupied the base. During the Battle of the Bulge, German troops faced the fierce resistance of the 5th US army troops and failed to reconquer the base. After the war, the Belgian army occupied the base again.
The museum at the base immerses the vistor in its varied history and retraces teh Batlle of the Bulge.
On the road to Kaltherherberg, at the so-called "Grünes Kloster", a memorial stone was placed, commemorating a Belgian soldier who had died on that spot on 10.05.1940. he was probably one of the first Belgian victims of war.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Hans Tasma

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