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LE MESS, Battle of the Bulge Museum, Bastogne


Johan Willaert
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Johan Willaert

Following the closure of the Bastogne Historical Center near the Mardasson American Memorial last year, a couple of collectors have joined hands to start a new museum in the center of the city.

The opening is planned for the 24th of this month, so perfect to visit during the next December commemorations!

 

The building in which the museum is located is a former Army Officers' Messhall which was abandoned by the Military in 2005. The style of the building just ads to the general historic atmosphere.

While of course the main displays in the museum are about the 101AB Div, the other units which fought in the area during the Battle of the Bulge are also represented (German, 28ID, 17AB, 4, 10, 11AD etc...)

 

The museum is located roughly a 500m walk from the Sherman tank on the square at:

 

Avenue de la Gare, 11

6600 Bastogne

Belgium

 

Google Maps Link: http://g.co/maps/sfucy

 

The museum will open shortly and I was lucky to get a sneak preview last week.

 

The owner of the collection allowed me to take some pictures and post'm online.

When I took these pictures there was still work to be done on the final details of the displays and the information boards, but it should give you an idea of the quality of the items on display.

There is much more on display, especially named and/or dug items from the region but somehow they didn't photograph well behind glass...

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Outstanding...very realistic :thumbsup:

 

The back drop of the pine trees and snow are giving me the chills.....

 

I agree with Paul,the Ardenne is one thing at the top of my bucket list.

 

Thanks Johan

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Those mannequins are spooky...

 

 

Just wait til after dark...... :lol:

 

Im always amazed at the detail of the display mannequins from Europe...simply fantastic

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These are great photos, thanks for sharing!

 

What exactly is going on with the Bastonge Historical Center? I see some headlines on the internet about it being transformed into the Center for WWII Memories. Do you have more details than that?

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Johan Willaert
What exactly is going on with the Bastonge Historical Center? I see some headlines on the internet about it being transformed into the Center for WWII Memories. Do you have more details than that?

 

The BHC is now closed and should indeed become a Historical Center in the full meaning of the word...

What exactly that will be is not known to the public.

The collection of the former BHC which belongs to the City Touristic Counsil is now in storage, while the items from the private collection which were displayed in the BHC are now in the new museum.

 

The website of the BHC shows a plan of the extension works and that the new center should be opened in 2012, but I drove past the former museum last week and there was absolutely no sign of any construction work at all....

 

Meanwhile the former Army barracks where Gen McAuliffe had his HQ during the siege is being refurbished too and will house more displays depicting the Battle of Bastogne in the actual location where the 101AB Div had its Headquarters.

I have seen the displays that are already in place and while they are not done with original WW2 gear for reasons of humidity, safety, etc.... it does look very good....

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Looks excellent. :thumbsup: I've been to Bastogne many times, I used to drive for a company I used to work for to Brussels and Ettlebruck in Luxembourg quite a few times, and always managed to stop by, "getting paid for sightseeing" so to say.

If the owner Marco is, I met him in East Germany, at an 8th of May 1945 Event, he and his team set up an fantastic hospital tent.

http://www.gemeinde-langenorla.de/fest_voe...erstebilder.htm

And he also runs the Militaria Shop there, if we're talking about the same person.http://www.militariabastogne.eu/home/1

It's been several years now since I've been there, so it's about time to go again, and check out the museum. :)

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Johan Willaert
If the owner Marco is, I met him in East Germany, at an 8th of May 1945 Event, he and his team set up an fantastic hospital tent.

And he also runs the Militaria Shop there, if we're talking about the same

 

 

Although the website says they should be moving the shop to the new museum, I've heard different versions about that. Anyway the old shop on the corner of the main square is closed now....

 

I don't know what the future of the shop is and I guess we'll all have to wait and see how it turns out...

 

Johan

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The BHC is now closed and should indeed become a Historical Center in the full meaning of the word...

What exactly that will be is not known to the public.

The collection of the former BHC which belongs to the City Touristic Counsil is now in storage, while the items from the private collection which were displayed in the BHC are now in the new museum.

 

The website of the BHC shows a plan of the extension works and that the new center should be opened in 2012, but I drove past the former museum last week and there was absolutely no sign of any construction work at all....

 

Meanwhile the former Army barracks where Gen McAuliffe had his HQ during the siege is being refurbished too and will house more displays depicting the Battle of Bastogne in the actual location where the 101AB Div had its Headquarters.

I have seen the displays that are already in place and while they are not done with original WW2 gear for reasons of humidity, safety, etc.... it does look very good....

 

Thanks Johan. I tried looking this up on the internet, but the websites that were available were just not doing a good job of explaining what was going on at the BHC.

 

That was special trip for me. I was stationed in Germany and took a bus tour to come over to Bastonge. For some reason, the day we got there the museum was closed and completely locked down. I was quite disappointed. Later I paid to go on a second tour and got to see every bit of it.

 

As a side note, our tour guide was a very nice 22 year old German girl. While we were in the museum (most of the tour group was US military or dependents), she was in a quiet corner looking very upset. I thought she was going to start crying. As politely as I could, I asked her if she was alright. She just pointed to one of the displays of a German soldier in uniform and said "You must please understand... it is very difficult for me to come here." She didn't have to say another word... she said she'd be alright, and I left her alone. But I remember that to this day... one person's historic victory is another's defeat.

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