The small city of Bastogne was once the scene for one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. A tragic event that put the Belgian town in the history books and that shapes it till this day. One way to commemorate Bastogne’s sad past is visiting the Bastogne War Museum and the adjacent Mardasson Memorial. And that is exactly what we did.
The city of Bastogne breathes history. Around every corner you’ll see traces of World War II or more specifically the Battle of the Bulge, in which the village was of great importance. As such, there are many ways to step into the footprints of history in this town in the Belgian Ardennes … But if you don’t have the time to discover it all, the Bastogne War Museum is a good place to start.
A bit of history
While Bastogne and its surroundings suffered under the consequences of World War II earlier too, the war took its hardest toll here at the end of 1944 and the start of 1945. In this period, the Battle of the Bulge took place and Bastogne found itself in the middle of it all.
The Battle of the Bulge was the last big offensive operation of the German troops during World War II. They wanted to break through the allied lines in the Ardennes and eventually take back Antwerp, which was an important port for supplying the allied forces at the time.
Hitler started his plan on the 16th of December 1944. The weather was bad then, which was exactly what he wanted, as this would prevent the allied forces from deploying their strong air force. The attack took the American and British forces by surprise.
At one point, Bastogne was encircled entirely by German troops. But the city, that was important because of the many roads that crossed it, never fell. Reinforcements came and eventually the weather turned, allowing the allied forces to at last let their air force take to the skies.
The Battle of the Bulge ended on the 25th of January 1945. It was the most expensive operation the US army ever took part in. Thousands of soldiers on both sides lost their lives in the woods around Bastogne. There were also a lot of civilian casualties. In May Germany surrendered.
The Bastogne War Museum
The Battle of the Bulge has a special place in the Bastogne War Museum, but it’s not the only focus. The World War in general and the impact it had on life in Belgium and the area of Bastogne in particular also get attention.
In 2014 the museum was renewed and the set-up is really well done. The Bastogne War Museum takes you through World War II chronologically, beginning with the events that lead up to the start of this huge conflict. Further on, you’ll learn more about the occupation of Belgium, other key events during World War II and the end of the war. Of course a large part of the museum does focus on the Battle of the Bulge.
Throughout the museum you’ll come across many artefacts from the wartime, going from small items like postcards and newspapers, to uniforms and actual tanks and other weaponry that was used in the conflict. There are also countless interesting panels that offer tons of information. As someone who’s really into history I took the time to read them all, but even if dry historical facts can’t keep your attention for that long, this museum is still worth a visit.
The audio guide
Included in your entrance ticket is an audio guide that offers you a human and personal perspective on the war. Four people who actually lived through the war and the battles in Bastogne tell you how they experienced the many key events that the museum highlights on its informative panels. You’ll listen to the anecdotes of Mathilde Devillers (a school teacher from Bastogne), Robert Keane (an American soldier), Hans Wegmüller (a German soldier) and Emile Mostade (a child from Bastogne).
As the people you follow throughout World War II have different backgrounds, you’ll find out what the war was like from different points of view. At the end of your tour through the Bastogne War Museum, you’ll discover what happened to the narrators after the war. This personal touch is a great addition to the factual boards in the museum. The audio guide will especially appeal to people who do not want to read too much or who’d rather discover history from a human perspective.
What’s also remarkable about this audio guide is that it plays automatically when you find yourself in a spot that comes with an audio clip. I personally did not like this very much, because I was not in control of when the guide started playing. Sometimes I had to stop reading because it suddenly started or a clip began playing while the other one wasn’t yet finished. It also happened that the system would constantly flip between two fragments because they were so close together. But this was the only downside to the audio guide.
Multimedia rooms
The Bastogne War Museum also counts three beautifully made multimedia rooms. Here the stories from the audio guide are taken to an extra dimension. You take place in a theatre room with a lovely made decor and listen to the narrators’ perspective on the situation depicted. Normally the movie fragments here are in 3D, but because of corona we couldn’t use the needed glasses when we visited. 3D or not, these rooms make the Bastogne War Museum a truly immersive experience.
You’ll come across the first multimedia room soon during your visit. This room shows the Allied General Headquarters in June 1944, when D-day was upon us. The other two rooms are situated more towards the end of the tour. One takes you to the snow-covered woods around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. The last room, and in my opinion most spectacular one, shows a cafe in Bastogne and its cellar at the time of the Siege of Bastogne. Here the four stories of the people you follow throughout the museum come together!
In short, the Bastogne War Museum is a fantastic place if you want to learn about World War II, the impact it had on Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge. The museum combines education and facts with a more personal point of view through the audio guide and the multimedia rooms. As such, it caters to every visitor’s needs and allows them to focus on the type of information they like best.
We read beforehand that a visit takes about three hours, but if you’re a history buff who wants to soak it all in, like we did, you’ll need more time. Tickets for adults cost 16 euros, but there are many reductions possible. We stayed in the area in a lovely cabin rented through Ardennes-Etape. This organisation offers its guests discounts to attractions in the Ardennes region, including the Bastogne War Museum.
The Mardasson Memorial
If you visit the Bastogne War Museum, you cannot skip the Mardasson Memorial. This monument is only a stone’s throw away from the museum and is free to visit. It stands atop the Mardasson Hill, where heavy fighting took place during the Battle of the Bulge.
The Mardasson Memorial has the shape of a five-pointed star, the symbol of the American army. At the top of the construction you’ll see the names of the then 48 states of the United States. On the inside, you’ll read the story of the Battle of the Bulge, while on the outside all the American battalions that took part in the battle are listed. You can climb to the top of the Mardasson Memorial, which will offer you a great view over the surroundings on a clear day.
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