Important note
Photos provided on this website are not an endorsement of any political idea or of war. War is one of the most regrettable human activities.
All photos on this page are copyright Robert Mary and may only be reproduced with my express permission. You may contact me here
Historical information
While preparing
to launch a major attack to capture the river Rühr dams to the north-west
of Monschau, on 16 December the 2nd US Infantry Division was surprised
by the German offensive and forced
to take-up defensive positions. During the first days of the battle of
the Bulge, Elsenborne Ridge, where major American artillery positions
were concentrated, would symbolise the valor and resistance of the American
units preventing the German 6th Panzer Army from advancing towards the
bridges over the River Meuse.
The American High Command later acknowledged
that the Battle of the Ardennes was largely won on these first few days
on the heights of the Elsenborn ridge.
The museum
Museum inaugurated on 12 September 1998, retracing the history of the
Elsenborn Military Camp built in 1895 by the Prussians. The camp served
successivel as an instruction centre, an artillery depot, and would
house both Polish and Russian prisoners of war. The military camp is
nowadays occupied by the Belgian Army. A museum immerses visitors in
the long history of the camp and also retraces the Battle of the Ardennes
period through dioramas and documents of the time.
A large part of
the museum is dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge thanks to its goggle-boxes,
uniforms, weapons, documents, etc. Thanks
to various documents and dioramas you can review more than 100 years
of history.
The official
website of the museum stands here (direct
link to the museum section).
Location information
The museum is
located at
Camp d'ELSENBORN
Lager Elsenborn Camp, 1
4750 BUTGENBACH
Belgium
The ELSENBORN Camp is located on the « Hautes Fagnes » plateau,
near the Belgian-German border, at an average altitude of 600 metres.
The yearly average temperature lies between 5 and 8 degrees. The yearly
rain and snowfall amounts to 1250 mm. A harsh climate for an exceptional
environment.
Just a stone’s throw from the German, French, Dutch and Luxembourg
borders you will find the « Eastern Cantons ». This territory
of the German-speaking Community is split up into two separate parts.
In the North, the Eupen area and in the south, the Belgian « Eifel ».
A lot of rivers have their sources on the green heights. The most famous
are the « Amblève », the « Warche »,
the « Our ». The waters of some of these rivers has been
dammed to form man-made lakes like Eupen, the « Gileppe »,
Robertville an Bütgenbach. These lakes are not only reserves of
drinking water and electricity suppliers but also regulate the water
level and bring a lot of fun for the water sports lovers.
This area is not only known for hospitality, its musea, its sports
facilities, its art and culture, its carnivals and « Kirmes » (feast
in each village from July to October) but you can also go there for
skiing, mountain-biking, for a walk to discover an unspoiled nature.
Flora and fauna are of an exceptional beauty and quality. A real ecological
paradise.
This area is attractive both in the winter and summer. You can go on
the plateaus in Waimes, Amel, Büllingen, Raeren, Kelmis, Burg-Reuland
all year round to get your strength back.
Tourism is the first wealth in the Eastern Cantons. Understanding is
prevailing through the multiplicity of languages and cultures. That
is the way the Eastern Cantons are living. A will to live together
in diversity.
Personal note
As you enter a military base you must leave your identity card at the
entrance gate during the time of your visit and get necessary authorisations
to make photos. The museum
is located at about 100
km of
Liège
(Belgium).