Commemorate the Battle of the Bulge

© FTLB

December 2014 : 70 years ago, the Ardennes became a vast battlefield with the sadly famous « Battle of the Bulge ». It was the 16th of December 1944. The last witnesses of this battle are leaving us one after the other with their war memories. In this context, to safeguard the memory, the « Fédération touristique du Luxembourg belge » takes part in the preservation of its territory’s history.

Bastogne Barracks © FTLB/ P. Willems

Between tourism and vestiges

A tourist map of the Battle of the Bulge is available. It’s original by its cross-border aspect as it was produced by the tourist organisms of the provinces of Luxembourg, Liege and Namur as well as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Ardennes, the east of Belgium and the National Geographic Institute. It includes 7 round-trips : the British in the battle, the Dietrich-Peiper route, Bastogne Nuts, the battle of Saint-Vith, the troops of Patton, the counter-offensive… Over 200 localities, with their monuments and memorials, are located and referenced. The map shows the advance of the German troops and the roads followed by the Americans and the British soldiers during this freezing cold winter. Published at a scale of 1:250.000 in French, Dutch ,English and German, this document includes a historical introduction and explanatory maps of the military advances and retreats with the main dates and stakes of this battle.

Carte Bataille des Ardennes

2015 : The « Chasseurs ardennais » (Elite Belgian troops)

In the automn of 2015, the FTLB will publish a new historical and tourist guidebook about the Ardennes, land of battles and resistance. It will show the role of the soldiers that defended it on two key occasions of the Second World War : the invasion of the country in 1940 with the mission of the « Chasseurs ardennais », following the 10th infantry regiment , and the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s last poker try. This publication will once again have a cross-border content in order to study and present the largest and most accurate possible historical and tourist matter.

Chasseurs Ardennais à vélo © Musée des Chasseurs Ardennais Marche-en-Famenne

« If they say so»

« It seems essential to transmit to the new generations the hectic history of our Belgian Luxembourg. Winston Churchill’s citation resumes alone the importance of the memorial aspect. :  » »A nation that forgets its past condemns itself to relive it »
Fanny Lardot Tourisme de Mémoire 40-45

Hotton © FTLB/ P. Willems