The Hellweg is the most famous road in Westphalia. This historic region of Germany stretches from the Rhine to the Weser rivers. Following the Westphalian Hellweg today is a journey back in time more than 1,000 years when Charlemagne built this road. The Ruhr Area I was curios how much of the old Westphalian Hellweg …
Harzhorn – A Roman battlefield in the heart of Germany
The part of Germany east and north of the Roman fortified border – the Limes Germanicus – has long been thought of as wild and inaccessible Germanic country untouched by the Romans. The Harzhorn battlefield helps to shed a different light on this part of history. It was discovered in 2010 on a strategic pass, …
The way to the Western Front – Chemin des Dames
After loosing the Battle of the Marne, the German offensive according to the Schlieffen plan had failed. The exhausted First Army had to retreat and entrenched north of the Aisne river on the slope of the Chemin des Dames (Ladies path) ridge. The allied forces soon attacked the position without success and entrenched as well. This …
The way to the Western Front – Nanteuil-le-Haudouin
Nanteuil-le-Haudouin was briefly occupied by German troops on 03. September but was on the open flank of the Germans on the days after that. The main body of the First army was engaged fighting the French and British forces from 05. September in what became known as the battle of the Marne. The French high …
The way to the Western Front – Compiégne
In late 1918 the French high command resided in Compiégne. A place in the forest close to the city was chosen for the armistice negotiations with the Germans. Here, railroad tracks for artillery support ran parallel and on those parallel tracks 50 m apart, the two delegations came in by train. The German delegation was …
The way to the Western Front – Poziéres
Poziéres is situated on a long stretched ridge with views going wide across the open landscape. It is a farming community today as it has been for a long time. There was a disruption of that continuous history though and it started when the village became part of the Western Front on October 1914 as …
The way to the Western Front – Bavay
Bavay was briefly site of the headquarters of the British army in August 1914, before the great retreat began after the battle of Mons. The road leading south-west from Bavay towards Le Cateau was used by the retreating forces and the German army following suit. Therefore, following that road gives some idea about the circumstances …
The way to the Western Front – Mons
Mons was a mining town in 1914 and part of the Belgium industrial valley. The Mons-Condé-Canal is running in an east-west direction north of the city was an important part its industrial success. In addition, the canal offers a considerable defensive position. The BEF took position behind the canal to stop or delay the German …
The way to the Western Front – Leuven
The First Army reached Leuven on 19. August 1914 and moved on to Bruxelles. As throughout Belgium garrison troops stayed behind to guard the open flank and organize the occupation. Antwerp, where the Belgium withdrew to, was only 50 km away therefore there was a concern about a counter attack. Additionally, there was a general …
The way to the Western Front – Liége
Liége lies between the hilly Ardennes in the south and the Dutch border to the north on the Meuse river and it was only 30 km away from the border. From the perspective of the German army, it was an obstacle in their plan to outflank the French forces by invading Belgium. As the strategic …