Soldiers and civilians alike perished in the Battle of the Bulge, which took place across Luxembourg and Belgium in World War II. Whole villages were razed to the ground. The fighting was concentrated around “Schumann’s Eck”, several kilometres away from the northern town of Wiltz.
At the site, the remembrance trail has been redeveloped, integrating stories from contemporary witnesses, preserved for future generations through new technology.
62 silhouettes of men and women, based on original images dating back to the von Rundtstedt offensive, have been installed along the 3 kilometre-long path. Frank Rockenbrod, president of the non-profit “National Liberation Memorial”, explained the testimonies were gathered as part of interviews from 30-40 years ago, from people who lived through the war and are no longer alive today. The aim of the redesign was to create a sense of authenticity and fill in the gaps with new content, he added.
In the early 1970s, when many survivors were still traumatised by war, Rockenbrod carried out more than 500 interviews with the aim of preserving and telling their stories. He spoke to Luxembourgers, Americans and Germans, meeting them at their homes to recount their histories.
Today, visitors to the trail can listen to the testimonies using their smartphone and the QR codes visible along the trail. The trail also offers access to images and videos divided into 70 thematic areas.
Students from the Lycée du Nord in Wiltz were also involved in the redevelopment.
The remembrance trail at Schumann’s Eck, which was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, forms part of the interregional “Land of memory” project, a collaboration involving 14 partners from the Greater Region.
Visitors who are unable to complete the three kilometre trail can make use of a shortcut, which reduces it to a kilometre.
https://www.landofmemory.eu/de/
https://www.landofmemory.eu/de/sites-historiques/gedenkpfad-am-schumannseck/
