© Jeannot Ries / RTL
Ceremonies in Bastogne and Hamm this weekend commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, one of the deadliest battles of World War II.
Commemorative ceremonies are taking place in Bastogne and Hamm from 13 to 15 December to mark the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Bulge. In Bastogne, several exhibitions opened on Friday, particularly in local war museums.
On Saturday morning, a major memorial service was held at 10am at the US Military Cemetery in Hamm. The event was attended by high-profile guests, including the Belgian royal couple, Luxembourg's Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. Delegations from the US Congress also travelled to Luxembourg to honour the 5,000 soldiers laid to rest in Hamm.
Our colleagues from RTL Radio were on site and described the atmosphere as warm and solemn, aided by a large tent erected between the chapel and the graves to shield attendees from the cold. Distinguished guests on the Luxembourg side included the grand ducal couple, Prime Minister Luc Frieden, several ministers, EU Commissioner Christoph Hansen, former prime ministers Jean-Claude Juncker and Jacques Santer, General Steve Tull, as well as numerous MPs and mayors. The Belgian royal couple, a key highlight among foreign dignitaries, also attended.
The ceremony featured speeches emphasising the importance of preserving the legacy of the soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, particularly through commitments to democracy, freedom, and peace. Prime Minister Luc Frieden highlighted the significance of the European Union in upholding these values and stressed the importance of respecting international law.
Notably, five US veterans, all over 100 years old, were present at the ceremony.
In recent weeks, memorial events commemorating the Battle of the Bulge have been held across Luxembourg, especially in the northern regions where the German offensive claimed the most lives.
Diekirch Military Museum: Keeping the memory alive
For Benoît Niederkorn, historian and curator of the Diekirch Military Museum, the commemoration of the Battle of the Bulge extends far beyond the anniversary weekend.
In an interview with our colleagues, Niederkorn noted that Luxembourg is home to over 600 memorial monuments, nearly half of which are dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge. While wreath-laying ceremonies are a common tradition, the Military Museum this year focused on organising conferences to explore related themes, including the post-war period, the reconstruction of Luxembourg, and the role of German prisoners of war.
The museum itself celebrated its 40th anniversary in September. As part of the ongoing commemorative efforts, an academic conference will take place on 24 January, examining the connection between the museum's work and the memorial culture surrounding the Battle of the Bulge.
The Battle of the Bulge, launched on 16 December 1944–the Monday after the third Advent weekend–was Nazi Germany's last major offensive on the Western Front. The battle resulted in devastating losses: nearly 11,000 Allied soldiers and over 12,000 German soldiers were killed. In Luxembourg alone, the conflict claimed at least 500 civilian lives. Towns such as Wiltz, Nothum, Vianden, Ettelbruck, Diekirch, Clervaux, and Echternach suffered intense house-to-house fighting, leaving them severely damaged.
Niederkorn highlighted the plight of civilians caught in the chaos, many of whom were unable to evacuate or fled in the wrong direction. "We've documented cases where people evacuated from Echternach to Diekirch, only to head towards Wiltz and be overrun by German units," he explained.
The historian also detailed the widespread destruction and human toll of the six-week battle. Entire infrastructures were obliterated, civilians went missing, and Gestapo commandos conducted covert operations. Resistance fighters and those aiding them, many of whom had survived years of occupation, were captured and executed during the offensive. "The Battle of the Bulge essentially condensed the horrors of the occupation into a small microcosm," Niederkorn noted, adding that over a third of Luxembourg was left in ruins.
