A Contrast In Cultures: The Military Cemeteries Of Luxembourg

Probably the most well known soldier
buried at the cemetery. The only thing that
sets his gravestone apart from everyone else's
is its location.

Cemeteries are probably not the first place most people plan to visit while on vacation. After all, walking amongst gravestones is hardly an uplifting experience. But it is the very solemness of these final resting places than makes them emotionally moving places to visit. And this is especially so when the cemetery in question is one of the many American military cemeteries that are located around the globe. It doesn't matter how many military cemeteries I visit; whether it be the final resting place for the thousands of young men who lost their lives on the beaches of Normandy, France during World War II, the earlier generation of Americans whose final resting place is in Flanders Field or America's own Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans of every American war lie in their final resting place across the river from the nation's capitol; the emotions that are invoked are the same. The white marble cross--and occasional Stars of David-- headstones are etched with the names, home state, rank and date of death. For an organization where rank matters, death serves as the great equalizer with the fallen systematically buried in perfect military precision regardless of the stars and stripes on their uniforms with officers lying next to the enlisted, Christians next to Jews, young men barely out of boot camp next to veterans of several wars. It is impossible to visit a military cemetery and not feel humbled. These are truly solemn grounds.

Luxembourg American Cemetery

Given all of this, it made perfect sense for us to visit the Luxembourg American Cemetery located just outside of Luxembourg City during our recent visit to this little Grand Duchy. The cemetery is the final resting place of General George S. Patton Jr. and 5,075 other soldiers, most of whom lost their lives during the infamous Battle of the Bulge during the final days of World War II. The cemetery is set on 17 acres of meticulously manicured grass--which even in the middle of the winter appeared green. It was established in December of 1944 and dedicated in 1960 as a tribute to all who had lost their lives. The cemetery includes a chapel, fountains and memorial pylons depicting troop movements through the region and the names of 371 men who were lost in action during the battles. With the American flags flying proudly over the grounds it is a fitting tribute to the men who fought and gave their lives in the name of freedom. But as I soon realized, not all military cemeteries are created the same.

The gravestone of four German soldiers killed during
the Battle of the Bulge

Located just a mere couple of kilometers down the road from the American cemetery lies the Sandweiler German War Cemetery. Here 10,931 German servicemen lie in double or even triple graves with a single squat, dark head stone marking the names of up to six soldiers buried beneath. Over half of these graves were dug and the bodies buried by the neighboring American War Graves Service who was simultaneously establishing the Luxembourg American Cemetery. After the war, an agreement was reached between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Federal Republic of Germany to move German soldiers who were buried in 150 smaller cemeteries throughout the country and to reinter them into a single burial ground. In 1955, ten years after the conclusion of war, the dedication ceremony was attended by over 2,000 relatives of the dead. The site also contains a memorial plaque listing the names of each buried and missing soldier.

Inside looking out at the entrance to the Sandweiler German
War Cemetery

The contrast between these two cemeteries couldn't be more different. Whereas the entrance to the American cemetery is open and airy, the German cemetery lies across a small moat and at the end of a narrow and heavily shaded path. Even without knowing the history I would have had the sense of walking towards defeat as I approached the entrance. After walking through the narrow doorway of a low stone building housing a tiny chapel visitors step into a sea of squat dark crosses sitting amongst unkempt grass. The mood is definitely solemn in a way that is completely different than the humbling yet airy environment of the neighboring American cemetery. I was immediately struck by the fact that the face of each grave marker bore the

A portion of the commemorative list of
Germany's dead

names of two or three soldiers and to my further surprise the back of each stone revealed an additional two or three names. This compact space contains twice as many graves as the American cemetery yet sits on a plot of land half of the size.

The stark differences in these two burial grounds made me think long and hard about how a country, especially a defeated one, mourns and honors their dead. Both are solemn places of remembrance and reflection and are worth visiting when you find yourself passing through Luxembourg. Don't visit one without stopping at the other because each experience only deepens the meaning of what the other one.


If you go:

Luxembourg American Cemetery
50 Val du Scheid
Luxembourg (Hamm)
+352 43 17 27
www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/luxembourg-american-cemetery
Open daily from 09.00-17.00 every day except for Christmas and New Years Day
Free Admission

Sandweiler German War Cemetery
Rue d'Itzig
Sandweiler, Luxembourg
+352 35 50 07
Free Admission

Wordless Wednesday: Here's Looking At You

In The Valley Of The Seven Chateaux: Chateau De Vianden

The chateau, high on a hill overlooking
the town of Vianden

Here's part two of my Luxembourg / Valley of the Seven Chateaux adventure: the Chateau de Vianden in the picturesque town of Vianden. Located on the German border (you can literally look at Germany from the chateau), this chateau is the best known of all of the chateaus in the Valley of the Seven Chateaux. Even people who have never visited are probably familiar with it as Patrick Swayze's George and the Dragon and portions of The Three Musketeers was filmed here.

Dominating the skyline of Vianden, the chateau is perched on a hill 310 meters above the town. Portions of the castle dates back to the 10th Century but due to a series of expansions that took place between the 11th and 17th Centuries, the castle combines elements of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. As each occupant sought to leave his mark on this grand castle, the footprint enlarged and the style took on the trend of the day. It should all result in a mishmash of style but it actually makes the castle quite grand.

The changing of possession of the castle didn't always come about peacefully or easily. The castle was abandoned in the 16th Century before being reclaimed then confiscated by various branches of the Luxembourg's royal families. In 1820 King William I sold the castle to a local alderman who pillaged the castle, selling off ornate doors, paneling, tiles and other trimmings, thus hastening the castle's ruin. Restorations began at the end of the 19th Century only to be disrupted by World War I. During World War II's Battle of Vianden the castle was defended by anti-Nazi resistance members and survived intact. Restoration resumed in the 1960s only to be hampered by questions of ownership. In 1977 ownership was passed onto the State at which time the castle was gradually returned to its current restored state.

Another view of the chateau

Because I visited with a group, we were fortunate to have an English speaking guide who enthusiastically lead us through the entire castle and brought her long and storied history to life. We started at the bottom and worked our way up to the top before wielding our way back down to the very bottom and the chateau's hidden wine cellar. After years of neglect (which seems to be the story of so many of Europe's grand castles), the grand rooms had been painstakingly restored. Many were furnished with period, but not original, pieces of furniture, giving us a glimpse of what life had been like for those living in the castle. I am continually amazed at the ornate yet exceptionally small beds that filled the sleeping chambers. From the rooftop we could take in views of the valley below us and from the covered atria, the space where ladies could take in the fresh air without being in the sun, we were able to look across the river to Germany. We toured both levels of the in-house chapel; the ornately decorated yet stark one where royalty worshipped and the underground cavern that opened to the chapel above where the servants could hear the services above. One of the final stops on our tour was the small genealogy room where the royal lineage of Luxembourg was traced on the wall. We saw the family tree, complete with its direct lines and jags as well as portraits and photographs of each generation of the ruling family of Luxembourg. And of course, no castle would be complete without a company of knight's armor and corresponding weaponry. (Seeing the small stature of the knights made the afore mentioned small beds almost make sense).

Peak through the windows in Luxembourg......and you see Germany

How can you not love a chateau with its own wine cellar?

If you go, take the chair lift to the top then walk down. On the way up you'll be rewarded with sweeping views of both the chateau and the surrounding town and river valley. From the top of the chair lift there is a short walk down a wooded path to the chateau. This path is not handicapped accessible and should probably not be attempted if it is raining or the ground is wet.

A view from the chair lift

If you go:

Chateau de Vianden
Vianden Luxembourg
Open daily from 10.00 to 18.00 (high season) and 10.00 to 16.00 (low season)
6 Euro for adults, 2 Euro for children ages 6-12, reduced rates for students and seniors
www.castle-vianden.lu/english/openinghours/index.html
There is an on-site cafe serving drinks and light refreshments

In The Valley Of The Seven Chateaux: The Gardens Of The Grand-Chateau D'Ansembourg

The god of grapes/wine..what isn't
to like?

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, a.k.a. Luxembourg, a.k.a. the "lux" of BENELUX is a tiny sovereign nation sandwiched between Belgium, France and Germany. It is a member of the European Union, NATO and the United Nations as well as other international organizations. Luxembourg has the second highest GDP in the world and is officially tri-lingual with French, German and Luxembourgish (who knew there was such a thing!) being the languages of choice. And as is the case with most of western Europe, English is also widely spoken. Luxembourg is a country I had only driven through when going from Belgium to Germany and back again. From the highway the land looked a lot like neighboring Belgium and Germany with rolling farm land filled with cows, soaring windmills keeping the power on and immaculately kept villages. And as I discovered on a recent trip to Luxembourg where I actually got off the highway, it is all that and so much more.

The scenery in Luxembourg is truly spectacular with lush fields and forests and the afore mentioned quaint villages. But Luxembourg also has castles, or as they are called in French, chateaux. Lots of them. In the central part of the country lies the Valley of the Seven Chateaux, which as the name aptly describes, is home to seven impressive chateaux that date back to the earliest days before Luxembourg was called Luxembourg. They dot the hillsides, some are obvious and others hidden, but all add to the charm and beauty of this bucolic valley. Today the chateaux are in various states of (dis)repair with most of them being closed to the public. The (new) Chateau of Ansembourg however, is one that is partially opened to the public.

The restored gardens as viewed from the Chateau

The new Chateau of Ansembourg was first built in 1639 (only in Europe would this be considered "new") by a prosperous Belgian industrialist who benefited from the local timber and iron industries. Over the years the chateau changed hands through marriage, expanded its footprint, changed hands again and ultimately fell into a state of neglect when its upkeep simply became too much for the family to bear. (This seems to be the case with so many great estates--upkeep and maintenance is expensive). Unfortunately, the estate was abandoned for years.

After years of neglect, the chateau is currently undergoing an extensive renovation. The current owner purchased the property in 1987 and immediately set about a series of renovations to the buildings that is still ongoing today. While the chateau itself is still under construction and closed to the public the stables have been fully restored and currently house event space. During my visit they hosted a Japanese art and porcelain exhibit.

Reflection

The chateau as seen from the back garden; this is, in my opinion, the
most impressive view

But the real show stopper is the gardens, whose renovation took place in 1999. Today they are fully restored and visitors can tour the garden daily. What appears to be a single large garden is actually a series of specialized garden spaces. Fruit trees line the stone walls of the upper part of the garden producing apples and pears which are turned into juice and jams which visitors can purchase. (Honey is also available and it is some of the best honey I have ever tasted). Below the terraced walls lies a series of koi ponds and fountains which are surrounded by boxwood hedges. All of the water features in the gardens are spring fed from the nearby Eisch River. A manicured boxwood maze invites visitors to find their way to the center and out again as does the shady walkway that separates the garden from the river. Our guide informed us that this walkway was designed with two purposes in mind; first for ladies to be able to get fresh air without their skin being colored by the sun and secondly, for these same ladies to be able to discretely walk with suitors without out prying eyes taking notice. There are also numerous rose gardens and open green lawns. Statuary Row features a series of carefully restored statues featuring various gods and goddesses. And throughout the garden, in both sunny and shaded areas, there are benches inviting visitors to stop and take in the atmosphere.

This is definitely a place that is serene and invites lingering. The restoration of the chateau itself is still a work in progress but when it is complete if it is anything like the gardens it will be a masterpiece. But in the meantime, if you find yourself in the Valley of the Seven Chateaux, take some time to stop and stroll through the garden. You won't be disappointed.

Statuary Row

If you go:

Grand-Chateau d' Ansembourg
10 Rue de la Vallee
L-7411 Ansembourg
Luxembourg
+35 2 30 88 41 316
info@gcansembourg.eu
www.gcansembourg.eu

Open most days from 09.00