Sandweiler German war cemetery
Encyclopedia
The Sandweiler German war cemetery is a World War II
cemetery
in Sandweiler
, in southern Luxembourg
. It contains the graves of 10,913 German
servicemen from the Battle of the Bulge
in winter 1944 and spring 1945. Of these, 5,599 were buried by the American
war graves service during the war; American casualties were buried at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial
about 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) away in Hamm
.
After the war, following an agreement reached in 1952 between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Federal Republic of Germany
, 5,286 servicemen were moved to Sandweiler from 150 different cemeteries throughout Luxembourg. They had mostly lain in mass graves for which only incomplete records were available and the German War Graves Commission
(Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) set about identifying as many of them as possible. As a result, 4,014 of the 4,829 in the communal comrades' graves are now identified and listed.
The laying out of the cemetery began in May 1952, and it was inaugurated on 5 June 1955, ten years after the end of the war. The ceremonial opening took place in the presence of more than 2,000 relatives of the dead, whom the Volksbund had brought to Sandweiler in special trains. With them came also delegations of school children from every German federal state.
In 2005, a special ceremony attended by civil and military representatives from Luxembourg and Germany as well as members of youth groups, took place to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the cemetery.
The last person to be interred was an unknown German soldier who was discovered in the forests of Schumann's Eck near Wiltz
in the fall of 2007.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Sandweiler
Sandweiler
Sandweiler is a commune and town in southern Luxembourg. It is located east of Luxembourg City., the town of Sandweiler, which lies in the south-west of the commune, has a population of 2,474...
, in southern Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. It contains the graves of 10,913 German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
servicemen from the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
in winter 1944 and spring 1945. Of these, 5,599 were buried by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
war graves service during the war; American casualties were buried at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial
Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial
The Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. The cemetery can be found 2.5 kilometers southwest of Findel Airport. It is administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission...
about 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) away in Hamm
Hamm, Luxembourg
Hamm is a quarter in eastern Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is the home of the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, the final resting place of 5,076 American servicemen, including General Patton....
.
After the war, following an agreement reached in 1952 between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, 5,286 servicemen were moved to Sandweiler from 150 different cemeteries throughout Luxembourg. They had mostly lain in mass graves for which only incomplete records were available and the German War Graves Commission
German War Graves Commission
The German War Graves Commission is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of German war graves in Europe and North Africa...
(Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) set about identifying as many of them as possible. As a result, 4,014 of the 4,829 in the communal comrades' graves are now identified and listed.
The laying out of the cemetery began in May 1952, and it was inaugurated on 5 June 1955, ten years after the end of the war. The ceremonial opening took place in the presence of more than 2,000 relatives of the dead, whom the Volksbund had brought to Sandweiler in special trains. With them came also delegations of school children from every German federal state.
In 2005, a special ceremony attended by civil and military representatives from Luxembourg and Germany as well as members of youth groups, took place to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the cemetery.
The last person to be interred was an unknown German soldier who was discovered in the forests of Schumann's Eck near Wiltz
Wiltz
Wiltz is a commune with city status in north-western Luxembourg, capital of the canton Wiltz. Wiltz is situated on the banks of the river Wiltz. It was also a battleground in the Battle of the Bulge, near the end of World War II...
in the fall of 2007.