Ehrenfriedhof Hürtgen

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In August 2006 during our holiday in the Eifel we visited the Hürtgen cemetery. The build of the cemetery started in 1950 and was completed in 1952. The cemetery is near the former mine field "Wilde Sau". During the build period, together with the clearing of the minefield more than 100 people died during the mine clearing activities.

This cemetery is the largest in the region, it has become the final rest place of 3,001 war casualties. Over 500 casualties are buried as "unknown soldiers". The stones are attached ("Kameradenkreuzen". When entering the cemetery you'll find a memorial for Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld who died of the wounds he suffered on November 12, 1944 during the rescue a wounded American soldier in the minefield ("Wilde Sau"). The memorial was placed by veterans of the 4. US Infantry division.

Below you can find the pictures we took.

Three unknown soldiers.

Eight unknown soldiers buried together.

The memorial for Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld.  The text (English) on the stone:

"No man hath greater love than he who layeth down his life for his enemy
In memory of Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld 2nd.co fues.bn.275 th inf.div
Here in hürtgen forest on November 12.1944 Lt Lengfeld, a German officer,gave his life while trying to save the life of a American soldier lying severely wounded in the Wilde Sau minefield and appealing for medical aid."

Lengfeld is not buried on the Hürtgen cemetery but on the war cemetery in Düren Rölsdorf (Grave 38).

Sources used:

• - Hürtgenwald 1944/1945 - Militärgeschichtlicher Tourenplaner, Rainer Monnartz, Helios - Verlag Aachen, 2008, ISBN 978-3-938208-68-7
• - Zeitreiseführer Eifel 1933-1945, Alexander Kuffner, Helios Verlag Aachen, 2007, ISBN 978-3-938208-42-7
• - Wikipedia Ehrenfriedhof Hürtgen
• - Wikipedia Friedrich Lengfeld, including his portrait.
• - Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.

Article created on 8/30/2009 by rene.
The last change was made on 9/25/2009 by rene.