The Henri-Chappelle American cemetery, an impressive memorial

On this site, at the heart of the Pays de Herve, lie thousands of American soldiers who fell during the second world war. A memorial lest we forget.

It’s a place of contemplation and remembrance. A place full of emotion. A place that inevitably makes you feel emotional when you arrive. Here lie the remains of 7,992 American soldiers who fell during winter 1944-1945. Soldiers who not only fought in Belgium, during the terrible Battle of the Bulge, but through France, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. In this impressive 23-hectare necropolis, there are aisles filled with thousands of identical white crosses as far as the eye can see. Henri-Chapelle cemetery is one of the three American cemeteries in Belgium. Created in September 1944 by the First Infantry Division of the First American Army which liberated the site, the cemetery was completed in 1960 with a Memorial.

‘Part of our history’

The memorial, which overlooks the graves, has columns listing the 450 soldiers reported missing, as well as a chapel and a room that welcomes visitors. In here, you can see vast wall maps detailing the allied offensives in the re-taking of Europe, as well as information on the cemetery and an interactive video on the different aspects of war. Opposite the memorial, on the other side of the road, like a sign of light, a beautiful esplanade offers a magnificent viewpoint over the surrounding countryside, which used to be a battlefield. To visit this location is to pay homage to these thousands of men who gave their lives for peace. It's also delving into our history, so that the duty of memory endures.

Copyright pictures: Visit Ardenne