On
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 we visited the impressive American
Cemetery Margraten in Limburg. We walked between the white
crosses and felt connected to the more than 8,000 fallen
soldiers buried here and gave their lives for our freedom. For
us it was a long-cherished desire to visit the war cemetery.
Afterwards, we visited the nearby town of Margraten. A photo
shoot on ARS Website.
The Netherlands American Cemetery
and Memorial is the only American military cemetery in the
Netherlands. The cemetery site has a rich historical background,
lying near the famous Cologne-Boulogne highway built by the
Romans and used by Caesar during his campaign in that area. The
highway was also used by Charlemagne, Charles V, Napoleon, and
Kaiser Wilhelm II. In May 1940 Hitler's legions advanced over
the route of the old Roman highway, overwhelming the Low
Countries. In September 1944, German troops once more used the
highway for their withdrawal from the countries occupied for
four years. This cemetery was established at the end of the
Second World War in September 1944.
The cemetery's tall memorial tower can be seen before reaching
the site, which covers 65.5 acres. From the cemetery entrance
visitors are led to the Court of Honor with its pool reflecting
the tower. At the base of the tower facing the reflecting pool
is a statue representing a mother grieving her lost son. To the
right and left, respectively, are the visitor building and the
map room containing three large, engraved operations maps with
texts depicting the military operations of the American armed
forces. Stretching along the sides of the court are Tablets of
the Missing on which are recorded 1,722 names. Rosettes mark the
names of those since recovered and identified.
Within the tower is a chapel. The light fixture in the chapel
and the altar candelabra and flower bowl were presented by the
government of the Netherlands and by the local provincial
administration. Beyond the tower is a burial area divided into
16 plots, where rest 8,301 of our military dead, their
headstones set in long curves. A wide, tree-lined mall leads to
the flagstaff that crowns the crest.
.jpg)
In 2005 US President George W. Bush
visited the cemetery.
Margraten Memorial Center
|