Route of Commemoration No.14: Viaduct Bütgenbach

The 96 km long hiking trail „Route of Commemorating" was opened in the spring of 2015. The road passes over striking places of war history in the German-Belgian border area via already existing hiking trails in Büllingen, Bütgenbach and Waimes on the Belgian side and the municipalities of Hellental and Monschau in Germany. Along the way, 30 four-lingual info panels explain the historical events surrounding the Ardennes offensive, smuggling, Westwall and many other themes.

Info panel No. 14
The railway line Weywertz-Jünkerath became operational in 1912, so that Prussian troops could reach the military base of Elsenborn faster. In those days, the 30m high, 6-arched viaduct was built te bridge the valley.

Early May 1940, the Belgian army was expecting the invasion of the Wehrmacht and hence they guarded the viaduct. During the night of 9th to 10th of May, the Wehrmacht attacked the bridge, disarmed the guards and deactivated the explosives. This way the viaduct remained undamaged. However, on 13.9.1944 the Wehrmacht blew up the viaduct, when the US-troops were approaching.
At the end of the war, people who participated in the gunfight of 1940 were court-martialed at Malmedy. They were accused of betraying their homeland. In 1946, the Court Martial sentenced a total of 16 people to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment later on.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Hans Tasma