Special events and ceremonies 2005

Reconciliation over the graves – 50th anniversary of the German cemetery at Sandweiler, Luxembourg, part the 60th anniversary commemorations

Numerous VIPs, diplomats, politicians, veterans, general international public and youth groups attended the June 4, 2005 commemorative ceremony at the German military cemetery at Sandweiler, Luxembourg on the occasion of the 50^th anniversary of its official inauguration.

The German cemetery is located less than 2 KMs away from the nearby Luxembourg American cemetery at Hamm.

The German War graves commission (Volksbund Deutscher Kriegsgägerfürsorge), responsible for the ceremony,  had invited a number of German WWII veterans from the “Bulge”, who fought in Luxembourg in winter 1944/45 and who all had comrades buried in the cemetery.

The key speakers of the event were German Ambassador to Luxembourg, H.E. Roland LOHKAMP, German war Graves Commission Chairman, Reinhard FUEHRER, as well as the Luxembourg Prime Minister and present EU Chairman, Jean-Claude JUNCKER.  The latter one gave a high impact address in the true sense of reconciliation, good neighborhood and friendship between Luxembourg and Germany.

(left to right) WWII veterans, COL(ret.) USAFE John PARKER (U.S.) ; Lt.Col.(ret.) Aloyse SCHILTZ (Luxbg.) , Erhard MITZINNEK (D), German War Graves Commission Chairman Reinhard FUEHRER, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER and German Ambassador to Luxembourg, H.E. Roland LOHKAMP.

The three veterans, John Parker, Aloyse Schiltz and Erhard Mitzinnek, jointly planting the “tree of reconciliation and peace” on June 4, 2005 at the German military cemetery at Sandweiler..

Canon Georges Vuillermoz, himself a forced Luxembourg conscript of the German army in 1943-44, together with a German protestant minister, offered thoughtful remarks and said a prayer before wreaths were presented with the traditional German taps,  “Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden”,  and the German and Luxembourg national anthems being executed by the Luxembourg army band.

Boy scouts and girl guides from German ( Trier and Wittlich groups), the U.S. (troops from Bitburg and the U.SAFE Spangdahlem Air force base), as well as from Luxembourg (HOGA/FNEL) together with German navy soldiers assisting the three veterans during the ceremony.

AMBA, whose key objective is to keep alive and nurture the collective remembrance and memory of the “battle of the Ardennes” through its museums and activities and foster friendship within the veteran community, offered a wreath presented by Mr. Robert CLAM and Roland GAUL.  The AMBA wreath was carried by American, German and Luxembourg boy scouts, symbolizing at its best the passing of the torch of remembrance.

The following is the official press release in German about the ceremony, as published by the German War Graves Commission:

50 Jahre deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Sandweiler / Luxemburg

Internationale Gedenkveranstaltung mit Premierminister Jean-Claude Juncker
Samstag, 4. Juni 2005, 11 Uhr

Der deutsche Soldatenfriedhof in der luxemburgischen Gemeinde Sandweiler, nur wenige Kilometer vom Flughafen des Großherzogtums entfernt, war die erste Kriegsgräberstätte, die der Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg im Ausland anlegen konnte. Das 50-jährige Bestehen dieses Friedhofes würdigt der Volksbund am 4. Juni mit einer internationalen Gedenkveranstaltung, an der auch Jean-Claude Juncker, Premierminister des Großherzogtums Luxemburg teilnehmen wird.

Volksbund-Präsident Reinhard Führer wird die Gäste begrüßen, zu denen auch der Präsident des Verfassungsgerichts, Marc Thill, der deutsche Botschafter Roland Lohkamp sowie diplomatische Vertreter mehrerer Staaten zählen. Die Gedenkansprache hält Abbé Georges Vuillermoz, Domkapitular und Priester am großherzoglichen Hof, der als Zwangsrekrutierter in der Wehrmacht diente.

Bei der Einweihung im Juni 1955 waren über 2000 Angehörige mit Sonderzügen aus Deutschland angereist, und auch jetzt rechnet der Volksbund mit mehreren hundert Angehörigen und ehemaligen Kriegsteilnehmern. Wie vor 50 Jahren werden auch viele Luxemburger zu der Veranstaltung erwartet.

Insgesamt ruhen etwa 10900 Soldaten auf dem Friedhof. Zunächst bestattete der Gräberdienst der US-Armee 1945 etwa 5600 deutsche Gefallene in Sandweiler, die während der erbitterten Kämpfe im Winter 1944/45 den Tod gefunden hatten. Nach Übergabe der Anlage an den Volksbund betteten dessen Mitarbeiter nochmals über 5000 Gefallene aus 150 kleineren Grablagen in Luxemburg nach Sandweiler um. Einige Einzelschicksale sind in der dreisprachigen Broschüre beschrieben, die der Volksbund aus Anlass des 50-jährigen Bestehens herausgegeben hat.

Vor der Gedenkveranstaltung in Sandweiler finden Kranzniederlegungen am Ehrenmal in der Gemeinde (9.30 Uhr) und auf dem amerikanischen Soldatenfriedhof Hamm (10 Uhr) statt, zu denen die Presse herzlich eingeladen ist.

Programm:

Gedenkveranstaltung
50 Jahre Soldatenfriedhof Sandweiler
Samstag, 4. Juni 2005, 11:00 Uhr


Europahymne
* * *
Begrüßung:
Reinhard Führer
Präsident des Volksbundes Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V.
* * *
Musikstück
* * *
Grußworte:
Roland Lohkamp
Botschafter der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Luxemburg
Jean-Claude Juncker
Premierminister des Großherzogtums Luxemburg
* * *
Musikstück
* * *
Gedenkansprache:
Abbé Georges Vuillermoz
Domkapitular und Priester am großherzoglichen Hof Luxemburgs
* * *
Ökumenisches Gebet
* * *
Kranzniederlegungen
* * *
Musikstück: „Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden“
* * *
Nationalhymne der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Nationalhymne des Großherzogtums Luxemburg

Es spielt die Großherzogliche Militärkapelle Luxemburg.

Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. Bundesgeschäftsstelle Pressereferat Werner-Hilpert-Straße 2 D 34112 Kassel Telefon: (0561) 7009-0 Telefax: (0561) 7009-270 E-Mail: presse@volksbund.de

Doubtlessly, the highlight of the entire ceremony consisted of the planting of a peace tree by three veterans of the “Bulge”; Mr. Erhard MITZINNEK, who fought it the 9^th German Volksgrenadierdivision in northern Luxembourg, COL (ret) USAFE, John Parker,, who as a B-17 pilot of 457^th Bomb Group, flew missions over the Ardennes, and Lt.Col (ret.) Aloyse SCHILTZ, a distinguished Luxembourg allied veteran, who, as a special liaison officer fought with American forces in 1944/45.  The three veterans unquestionably set a very powerful signal by this joint unique gesture of RECONCILATION in honor of ALL those who fell on this very special occasion of the 60^th anniversary of the end of WWII.

Russian army delegation visits museum

As part of the military ceremonial support by the former WWII allies for the 60th anniversary of «Victory Day» in Europe hosted by the Government on May 8, 2005, a military delegation from Moscow represented the Russian colors on that very special occasion.

Led by Captain Alexander Maryianov, 5 Russian army NCOs from the Kremlin’s elite  ceremonial guard unit arrived in Luxembourg on May 6 to participate in a multinational parade and commemorative ceremonies on May 8 involving also American, Belgian, British, French, Luxembourg honor detachments and color guards.

The key event took place in Luxembourg in presence of TT.RR.HH, the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess, the Government, the diplomatic corps, numerous WWII allied veterans and a large public.

In this context, the Russian delegation also visited the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch during a guided tour by the curator, Roland Gaul.  On that same occasion, Mr. Gaston Junck, a citizen of Diekirch and Luxembourg veteran who fought as a volunteer in the Red army in 1944-45 after his captivity at the Tambow POW camp gave personal accounts to the young Russian soldiers about his experiences on the Eastern Front.

Mr. Gaston Junck, Luxembourg veteran of the Soviet army in 1944/45 together with the Russian army delegation in their impressive uniforms, led by Captain Alexander Mariyanov.

Mr. Junck, a highly-decorated Luxembourg veteran, who was one of the few Luxembourgers fighting with the Soviet army in the latter parts of WWII, was accompanying Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Juncker to Moscow for the May 9, 2005 "Victory" Parade.

Luxembourg and Belgian WWII veterans honored in Bastogne

On April 22, 2005, the Belgian army’s 1^st Field artillery regiment ,1A, (based in Bastogne since 1964) commemorated its own 60^th anniversary -- its reconstitution from the “First Belgian Field Battery,” created in the UK in 1941. This artillery unit, initially composed of three “troops” (batteries) of four each 25 pounder guns, was integrated into the famous Belgian “Brigade Piron” force that participated in 1944-45 in the campaigns of Normandy, Belgium and the Netherlands.  The traditions of the unit actually go back to 1836!

Thanks to 1 st Sgt Eric Lemoine, Cpl. Didier Dosogne (holding shell) and three other staff members of “1A” as well as and Adj-Maj. Roland Rach, Luxembourg army, (upper right/moustache) for the historically accurate and detailed set up of an original 25 pounder gun field emplacement with all its accoutrements.

Whereas two “firing” batteries (A and B) of the unit were staffed by Belgian soldiers, troop “C” consisted of Luxembourgers, who had escaped the grip of forced conscription into the German army and had reached the UK to volunteer as allied soldiers.  After their integration into the “Brigade Piron” and training as artillerymen, their own unit was soon to become known as the “Luxembourg battery”.  A smaller number of other Luxembourgers also became members of the “scout” section of the same “Brigade Piron”.

After landing in Normandy on August 6, 1944, the “Brigade Piron” distinguished itself during the battle of the “Orne Canal” bridgehead, took part in the liberation of Brussels in early September 1944, participated as a support unit in “Market Garden” and later on fought in the Belgian and Dutch “Limbourg” low countries, especially around the “Wessem Canal”.  After a brief period of occupation in post WWII Germany, the Luxembourgers were demobilized after the entire “artillery” component of the “Brigade Piron” had been reorganized and reactivated under its pre-WWII denomination of 1A (First Field artillery regiment).

The 6 “Luxembourg Battery” veterans of the WWII “Brigade Piron”, escorted by 1 st Sgt Eric Lemoine of the present “1A”: Ferdinand DIENHART (guideon bearer); Victor FUSSHOELLER; Henri DIEDERICH; Paul RIES; Edond Pepin (Chairman of the Luxembourg Bigarde Prion veterans association); Sylvain LEVY, posing in front of THEIR gun.

On this memorable occasion of the unit’s own 60^th anniversary, the “1A” especially honored Belgian and Luxembourg veterans, who as special guests participated in an elaborate parade and demonstration at the famous “Mardasson Memorial” in Bastogne.  The event had been jointly organized by the “1A”, commanded by Lt.Col. Daniel Georis (*) and the city of Bastogne.  As a special highlight, Their Royal Highnesses, Grand Duke Henri and Grand-Duchess Maria-Teresa of Luxembourg, participated in this outstanding ceremony and day of mutual remembrance.

Their Royal Highnesses Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa after honouring the WWII victims at the Bastogne Mardasson Memorial ( April 22, 2005).

Whereas Belgian and Luxembourg army troops rendered ceremonial military honors, the Diekirch museum provided an original 25 pounder gun (**), limber and an operational Morris “Quad” gun tractor, as part of a “re-enactment”.  Museum staffer, Adj.Maj. Roland Rach himself and 5 Belgian NCO colleagues of “1A”, dressed 1944-style British fashion, gave a unique historical display under the applause of the enthusiastic attendance.>

The Luxembourg army color guard passing the display of the 25 pounder gun and Morris tractor during the 60 th anniversary ceremony OF “1a”/First Field artillery (Brigade Piron).

Even more, on April 23, 2005, on the occasion of the “open day” of the “1A” barracks in Bastogne, the “battery” had set up a field emplacement and the “gunners” responded to questions by numerous interested visitors and demonstrated three mock firing ”missions”.

Needless to say that the Belgian and Luxembourg veterans were not only honoured, but also deeply touched by this outstanding event, which was truly theirs….!