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 …
Tag: World War I
The way to the Western Front – Maison Blanche
The Maison Blanche (White House) lies on the intersection of the Neutralstrasse with the N3 from Aachen to Liége. The paved road from Aachen to Liége was built in the early 18th century and today is more of a local road since the modern highway A3 runs parallel and carries most of the long distance …
The way to the Western Front – Herbesthal
When you drive through Welkenraedt/Herbesthal today it looks like a typical Belgium village. You might notice some German signs though and if you look closer, you will find that streets on one side of the main street have German names and there are French names on the other side. The main street itself is called …
The Way to the Western Front – Aachen
Aachen was the main residence for Charlemagne, who’s empire covered most of central Europe. During the middle ages it was the coronation place for German kings and emperors. Today Aachen is where the areas of French, Dutch and German language intersect, the tripoint of Dutch, Belgium and German borders is only few kilometers from the …
The way to the Western Front
The war from 1914 to 1918 is best known for its trench warfare, being the first of the “World Wars” and sowing the seeds for further conflicts. Not only the Second World War but also the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s and current conflicts in the Middle East can be traced to the settlement …