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Dussen Castle

Dussen castle was badly damaged in World War II. After the war, it has been restored, but one tower, which lay between the other two towers, was not restored.

As of18 January 1945, the castle was the home of the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Fallschirmjägerdivision, under the command of Hauptmann Satter. The middle tower (not resored) was used as a lookout and was under heavy shelling. Because one of the soldiers no longer dared to go in the tower the commander gave the order to shoot him.
The next night he regret his decision because he realized that the war was ending and that the shooting of the soldier was useless.
He crept to the tower and scratched a cross in the tile floor, as penance. This cross is still present.
The story of the cross was not known until the former commander visited the castle in the 90's and told the story.

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Source

  • Text: Fedor de Vries
  • Photos: Fedor de Vries