This weekend, the municipality of Ettelbruck commemorated its double liberation from German occupation 80 years ago in the presence of Benjamin Patton, grandson of General George S. Patton, whose 3rd US Army liberated Ettelbruck in December 1944.
After four years and four months of Nazi occupation, the first American tanks rolled into the town of Ettelbruck from Schieren at dawn on 11 September 1944. The day before, German forces had blown up the bridge over the Alzette, but Vicar Flies guided the Allied troops over the railway bridge on Rue Stackels. Ettelbruck was liberated twice by the Allied forces, with the second liberation taking place on December 25, 1944.
These historic events were commemorated this weekend in Ettelbruck, known colloquially as "Patton-City" in honour of General George S. Patton. His grandson, Benjamin Patton, attended the ceremony and shared memories of his first visit to Luxembourg:
"I was just a bratty little boy then, but I did learn to respect my grandfather's legacy, and we read all the biographies and watched the movie [Patton], and I think we really came to honour the American troops who had fallen, him, and the people who took care of the cemetery and who take care of his memory."
Having visited Luxembourg numerous times, this time around, Benjamin brought his son along to take part in the ceremony. Portions of the ceremony intentionally highlighted young voices by inviting students from Miami University's Luxembourg campus to deliver a speech, while Patton's great-grandson laid flowers at the Patton Monument, to evoke the importance of remembering history even today.
"Many people don't remember their history. Another reason why I'm glad to be here is that I can teach my son about it so that he can learn, respect, and honour his history as well," Benjamin Patton explained.
He also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to members of the Patton Museum, local authorities, and the citizens of Luxembourg for preserving and honouring his grandfather's memory and legacy.
"Taking care of this memory"
Fascinated history enthusiasts like Dan Arendt, who recreated the Willys Jeep used by General Patton during the Ardennes offensive, believe that the legendary general deserves to be honoured appropriately for his efforts.
"I believe a man who has done so much for our country should be honoured too. General Patton is a national hero, and as a child, I always wanted that Jeep. I made my dream come true almost 25 years ago," Arendt shared.
General Patton's grandson acknowledged that "[General Patton] was not perfect," but recalled some of his famous sayings, such as "'Boldness, more boldness, always boldness". He was always moving forward and attacking, and I think another maxim, another piece of wisdom was 'always take care of your troops'".
The enduring legacy of General Patton is once again commemorated in Ettelbruck, where on Christmas Day 1944, Allied troops liberated the town for a second time after the cold and harsh months of the Battle of the Bulge through a newly established "Patton Square" in Ettelbruck.
