Sunday & Monday, October 7 & 8

On a very rainy Sunday we drove over to Salzburg, walked around the old city and had lunch.  Did go to to a short afternoon concert.  It's another beautiful old city with cobbled narrow winding streets and hidden courtyards.  Charlie and I spend time in a cemetery nestled up against the hillside, graves dating back centuries.  Most graves had been decorated with potted flowers and other remembrances.

Old Cemetery

Salzburg, Austria

Monday dawned foggy; however, it later lifted to a beautiful sunny day.  We drove into Berchtesgaden and split up for the day.  Heather and Patrick explored the mountains both by hiking and taking chair lifts.  Charlie and I drove to Obersalzberg and from there took a bus (the only way up) to the Eagle's Nest.  Known as the Eagle's Nest to Americans it's called the Kehlsteinhaus here in Germany.  It was presented to Hitler by the National Socialist Party on his 50th birthday; however, it was not often used by Hitler.  After a hair raising ride up the mountain you entered a tunnel into the mountain then took a brass lined elevator up another 406 feet to the top.  The Eagle's Nest, now a restaurant,  is controlled by a foundation and profits are used for charitable purposes.  Views were incredible.

The bus in front of ours!

Beautiful Mountains--everywhere!

Eagle's Nest

Below in Obersalzberg is the Dokumentation Obersalzberg, a museum on the site of Hitler's mountain residence, the Berghof.  It documents the Nazi period thoroughly; however, it was in German!  They did provide small English brochures for each area so we were able to understand most of the exhibit.  Hitler rented a small vacation house beginning in 1923 and later as he came into power developed it into a large complex that was his second seat of power after Berlin.  In doing so they drove out the local people,taking their farms and homes.    On April 25, 1945 British and American bombers bombed the site and destroyed most buildings and then in 1952 the remaining buildings were blown up.  For some reason the Eagle's Nest was not destroyed.  Under the Berghof there is an extensive bunker complex which is partly open.

On July 4, 1945 Dad and his brother Paul visited this area.  We have several photographs, one that was purchased of Berghof before the bombing and several that he made.  On the Berghof photo he wrote:  "4th July, 1945 This is some of the Hitler SS buildings before they were bombed".  Another of destroyed buildings, "This was taken at Hitlers Hide Out, July 4, 1945.

Dad's Photos:  Top-photo of Berghof that he must have purchased,
 note mountains compared to recent photo below.  Bottom:  ruins after bombing

Documentation Center on sit of old Berghof

On one of the descriptive panels at the Eagle's Nest, which were all in German, was an English quote by an American General, "Every man and his brother will want to come to the Eagle's Nest."  And they did!

At the end of the war the 803rd was still attached to the 5th Infantry and his company was in Vimperk, Czechoslovak now the Czech Republic.  On the 16th of June the 83rd Infantry took over the occupation duties in Bavaria from the 5th.  He  did not depart from Europe until November 6.

We thought that that trip to "Hitlers's Hideout" with Paul must have been so good for them--they had survived the war, were together and probably having a great time!

Sunday, October 7

Arrived late yesterday in Anger, Germany and checked into a two bedroom apartment with a balcony and the most incredible view of the Bavarian Alps.  We're above a small village with farmland views and yesterday afternoon the neighbor farmer was bailing his small patch of hay--small green bales that were then wrapped in white plastic by another piece of equipment.

From our balcony.....

H and P took a short hike and we went to the grocery store to buy supplies---only understanding about three words of German, we do a lot of smiling and pointing.  People are very understanding and nice!  Chili for supper.

Woke up to rain today so we're going into Salzburg rather than Berchtesgaden.   Supposed to clear tonight and we want a clear day to go up to the Eagle's Nest.

Saturday, October 6

Dachau

Dachau Memorial was established on the grounds of the former concentration camp in 1965 on the initiative of the plans of the surviving prisoners who had joined together to form the Comite International de Dachau. The Bavarian state government provided financial support.   This camp was set up in March of 1933 for political prisoners.  It served as a model for all later concentration camps and as a "school of violence" for the SS men under whose command it stood.  In the 12 years of its existence over 200,000 persons from all over Europe were imprisoned here and in the numerous subsidiary camps.  More then 41,500 of them died.  On April 29, 1945, American troops liberated the survivors.

It was a very moving and sad morning.  The exhibit was extensive and excellent.  It should never be forgotten.  We saw groups of high schoolers and it's my understanding that a visit to a concentration camp is required of students.  No photos......

Tuesday, October 2

Today we stopped in Trier, Germany to see the Roman ruins and have lunch.  Then we did a beautiful drive up the Mosel Valley--vineyards on steep slopes overlooking the river.  The area produces wine made from the Riesling grape.  Grapes were grown in this valley by the Romans.  We stayed at the Gastehaus zum Moseltal -- even though they had made a mistake and had only one room available, the owner immediately found another room for us close by.

Vineyards

B&B 

Hill side vineyard

and a Castle or two!

Wednesday, October 3

German Military Cemetery

We left our guesthouse early, today is a long drive.  Further up the Mosel Valley we passed through the towns of Tres-Karden,  it was in this area the 803rd crossed in early March, 1945.   Since we're in Germany now we're not finding any "war memorials" of course, although it seems most villages have a small memorial to their German soldiers killed in the war.  We did stumble across a German Military Cemetery in a small village.

OK, we purchased a GPS for this trip and the European Maps; however, we have Patrick along with his IPad and his great sense of direction!

The 803rd crossed the Rhine River with the 5th Division at Oppenheim in late March, 45 so we crossed too--Patrick found a ferry location on the outskirts of Oppenheim.  Probably not the same spot but pretty close.

Vineyard along Rhine River in Oppenheim area

Crossing at Oppenheim, Germany

We did a four hour stop-over in Rothenburg to walk about the old walled city and have dinner.  Then a very dark drive to Mornsheim arriving so late they had closed up the Guesthouse and Bar--fortunately the owners lived above and let us in.  We're in the Solnhofen area well known for the fossils found here.  So, of course, traveling with two geologist-paleontologists we're going fossil hunting.  We spent the next morning and early afternoon in a quarry splitting limestone slabs looking for sea life fossils.  We did find several nautilus and one fish head--our luggage is going to be heavier on the return trip.

Rothenburg--window box flowers were beautiful!

Rothenburg street

Tools of the Trade:  Rock Hammer, Chisel and Spit

When you think you've found a fossil you have to give it lick to
 see it better!  Rocks and Fossils look better wet!

Patrick and Heather

Friday, October 5

Left early this morning for Munich area, staying in a small hotel on the rail line just north of the city.  With October Fest in full swing we did not want to drive any closer!  Took the S Bahn in for a look at October Fest--seems each mega beer brewery has their own "tent"--huge permanent tents that probably hold a thousand or more beer drinkers!......and this is one o'clock in the afternoon and we can't find four seats!...the oompa bands playing and the waitresses in traditional dress running around with as many as 12 steins of beer, six in each hand! Finally we found seating outside and each had our giant stein of beer and pretzel and then took off for a walk into Munich's main square.  Charlie and I found a coffee shop and enjoyed people watching while Heather and Patrick window shopped.

October Fest Crowd

Dad's unit did not come through Munich but traveled to the east from the Frankfort area to Passau and then on into Austria and the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia).

Monday, October 1

Our morning started in Diekirch, Luxembourg with a visit to the National Museum of Military History which houses an amazing collection of Battle of the Bulge equipment and all the every day supplies of an army in combat.  The museum exhibits through supersized dioramas the most significant events in the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944-45 which was a cold wet snowy miserable winter.

An interesting display in museum

In the afternoon, Heather and Patrick selected one of many hiking trails in the vicinity of our hotel and spent the afternoon in the forest.  Charlie and I took a drive through the area of Luxembourg and Germany along the Sauer, Our and Sure Rivers where Dad's company fought from mid-December 1944 to mid-February 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge.  We drove a circuit from Beaufort, through Waldbillig, Consdorf, Berdorf, Scheidgen, Michelshof all in Luxembourg then we crossed the River Sauer into Bollendorf and Weilerbach, Germany which is where the unit crossed the river on February 13 & 14, 1945 to attack NE into Germany.

Villages we drove through, all familiar names from the 803rd's records.

Sauer River at Bollendorf, Germany

Luxembourg is absolutely beautiful--hill top views for miles, charming villages, clear streams and some of the most prosperous farms we have ever seen.  We keep marveling over how clean the cows look!  And it's the first time we've ever seen cows drinking from their own water fountains rather than water troughs!

Tomorrow we're headed into Germany briefly stopping in Trier to see the Roman Ruins then up the Mosel Valley to our next night in Ellenz-Pollersdorf at the Gastehaus zum Moseltal.  Tomorrow is also Heather's birthday!

Sunday

After breakfast and saying goodbye to our hosts we left for Luxembourg.

And because we never take a direct route, we drove south and came upon a local festival in LaRoche en Ardenne.  The Festival de la Soupe!  It was meant to be, I had been craving veggie soup....It's apparently an annual event and soup competition.  First, you buy your soup "tasting bowl" which is locally made pottery.  It has a small hole in the handle, you're given a string which you tie through the hole and hang the bowl around your neck!  We all enjoyed tasting many soups, all good and hearty.

Festival de la Soupe

Soup needs bread!

La Roche en A. was one of the western most towns  seized by the Germans in the Ardenne's Offensive and was partially destroyed.  We saw several monuments in town honoring their liberators.

Full of soup, we moved on south to Orval Abbey, a Cistercian Monastery founded in 1132 known for it's production of the Trappist Beer Orval and several kinds of cheese.

New Monastery built around ruins of the ancient one

Arched Ceiling in Ruins of Monastery

Afterwards,we moved on to Beaufort, Luxembourg and our inn, Auberge Rustique for the next two nights.  It has been a coach stop and inn for over 200 years, thankfully the nine rooms have been remodeled!  Owner host Julian has been friendly and very helpful.

Auberge Rustique

And just around the corner, Beaufort has a caste!

Friday & Saturday

On Friday we drove into Belgium generally following the route of the 803rd.  Our only stops were in Amiens, France to see the cathedral and at Waterloo to see another, older battlefield. Checked into our B&B  in Couthuin, Belgium.  Again, another beautifully restored home.

Waterloo Battlefield taken from the Lion Mound
Battlefield is farmed and well maintained

Charmes d'hotes B&B

Saturday we did a loop drive covering three countries--Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands.  We drove through the villages in the Limburg District of southern Netherlands where the 803rd was attached to the 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division liberating villages as they advanced to attack the Siegfried Line (line of defenses between the German homeland and adjoining countries) in late September and early October, 1944.

In the Dutch village of Rimburg, we saw Rimburg Castle the site of a fierce battle as the 119th IR, 30th Infantry Division was advancing against the Siegfried line.  At that time the 803rd was attached and supported the 119th.

Rimburg Castle Gates--privately owned

Lunch was in the city of Aachen, Germany where we visited the Aachen Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that in 2000 celebrated it's 1200 year anniversary---Charlemagne began the construction and is buried there.

In the afternoon we drove eastward into the Hurtgen Forest area where perhaps the bloodiest battle in the European Theater took place.  Dad was in the forest with the 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th division for two weeks in November of 44.  His unit was coming from the earlier attack on the Siegfried line north of Aachen.
Driving through Grosshau and Gey it was hard to imagine a bloody battle taking place in such a peaceful setting.   By February of 45 the allies had finally driven the Germans out of the Hurtgen Forest but had paid a terrible price.  First Army had suffered 24,000 dead, wounded, captured or missing in action plus another 9000 disabled by non battle injuries.

Out of Grosshau we found a hiking trail and took a brief hike into the forest.  We think we were in the area that Dad advanced in.  We know he was in Grosshau.  The forest had been thinned; however, we did find an area that had not been cut and were able to see how thick, dark and foreboding  the woods were.

Patrick found a patch of "dragons teeth" on Google Earth for us to see in the southern part of the area.  The Siegfried Line or West Wall was a line of concrete dragons teeth, bunkers, etc. to prevent invasion.   Hitler said it would hold back any invader who wanted to cross into the "Fatherland".  It did make it tough for American troops to advance.

"Dragons Teeth" on Siegfried Line

"Dragon's Teeth"--not only on the surface but  they extend deep underground

Back late to our B&B and prepared to leave early the next morning for Luxembourg.