Schumannseck was the site of the deadliest fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. American soldiers fought here against the German Army for several weeks. Thousands of lives were sacrificed.
This site bears the traces of the fighting that took place there from 27th December 1944 to 21st January 1945 and is a national memorial site. We kindly ask you to respect it.
The National Liberation Memorial a.s.b.l. was the initiator of the memorial monument at the Schumannseck crossroads and of the discovery trail at this historical site. The association has been the guardian of this reconciliation site since 1994.
Testimony
Come and discover the fate of those who fought in this forgotten battle, their suffering still haunts these woods …
The discovery trail leads through the midst of remains that are still visible today: foxholes, trenches, bomb craters … It is enhanced with silhouettes of characters, taken from photographs dating from the time. Most of the photographs were taken at Schumannseck or in the immediate vicinity. Colour photographs of objects from national collections accompany some of these characters.
Reconstructions of military shelters, some of which are in former quartzite quarries, enable visitors to imagine the conditions the soldiers had to cope with during the fighting. Trilingual explanatory panels and stands (EN, FR, DE) help to put the whole battle back into context and are supplemented by QR codes.
A reflection area, halfway along the trail, provides an opportunity to sit down in the middle of the forest to reflect on the various topics addressed. It is also an opportunity to think about the links between History and current events. In this way we are able to foster our collective memory.
This innovative design of the site thus emphasizes authentic and moving testimony from the period. The trail invites visitors to relive and experience history, a unique approach in terms of learning and feeling.
A passage has been created through the forest to safely reach the trail (without having to cross the road) from the bus stop “Wiltz, Schumann” (from Wiltz, in the direction of the crossroads).
A digital offer
The trail’s different themes have QR codes that give access to more than a hundred additional pieces of audiovisual testimony (sound extracts, videos and archive photos). These QR codes can be accessed directly on-site.
The “Nächst Statioun“ application invites you to go on an adventure along the trail with Klaus and Mish, the heroes of the animated series by Zeilt Production, broadcast on RTL.
