Battle of the Bulge Tour: Luxembourg, Siegfried Line Bunkers & WWII Battlefields

Battle of the Bulge trip....

 

✈️ Amsterdam Schiphol to Rotterdam – Gateway to the Battle of the Bulge Tour

Welcome back readers!!! This is a short post to tell you about my latest foray into Europe in search of history.

As I was back in the UK for a visit, I figured I would pop over to the continent for some more touring. It is surprisingly easy and cost-effective — just under 50 minutes from Gatwick to Amsterdam, and around £100 for flights and €135 for two nights in an Ibis.

An early start saw me catching a cab to Gatwick for a 10:50 flight. I arrived in Amsterdam at just about noon and, after a short walk to the train station, was on a train heading to Rotterdam by 1pm.

Travelers Note: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is directly connected to the rail network. Once you clear passport control and collect baggage, head into the main concourse where tickets can be purchased to almost anywhere in the Netherlands. A return to Rotterdam costs around €25. Just remember to validate your ticket before heading to the platforms. 😀

Depending on whether you take a local or intercity train, there are around 3–5 stops before Rotterdam, taking roughly 45 minutes. The trains are, generally speaking, far more punctual than in the UK.

 

 

 

🏙 Rotterdam – WWII Destruction and Modern Reconstruction

Given I wasn’t due to tour until the next day, I used the afternoon to explore and relax.

The walk from Rotterdam Central Station to my hotel in the maritime district took around 45 minutes at an easy pace, giving me a chance to take in the city.

Rotterdam was heavily bombed by the Germans in May 1940, shortly after the Dutch surrender. The destruction was significant and much of the historic centre was lost. The city that exists today is therefore largely modern, rebuilt in the post-war period.

Walking through the centre and towards the maritime district highlights this contrast clearly — glass towers, modern architecture, and redeveloped canal areas dominate the skyline.

 

 

 

Travelers Note: Within walking distance of the station is the Cool District, including the pedestrianised Lijnbaan shopping area, which has numerous cafés and shops.

 

 

 

I stayed in the Stadsdriehoek area. I’m still not entirely sure of the literal translation, but the district has a strong maritime feel and sits close to the waterfront. This area survived more of the wartime destruction and retains some older architecture.

Rotterdam is a city that knows how to relax — cafés and bars line the canals and waterfront, making it an easy place to explore on foot. The following pictures give a taste of how pretty the area is.

 

 

🥨 Markthal – Modern Rotterdam and Dutch Food Culture

While wandering, I stumbled upon the Markthal — a modern architectural landmark shaped like a giant arch housing apartments and a covered food market.

Inside, there is a huge variety of food stalls, and it is easily one of the most impressive indoor markets I have visited.

 

 

Of course, I had to buy some Stroopwafel which is a Dutch specialty.

 

Travelers Note: There is also an outdoor market adjacent to the Markthal. It is more traditional and similar to UK street markets — worth a quick look, but not essential.

 

🍺 Rotterdam Waterfront – Evening in the City

After walking around for a while, I stopped to rest before meeting my friend and tour guide Joey for dinner.

A beer in the sunshine was the perfect way to wind down after the journey

 

 

I had a chance to meet up with Joey and Arianne for dinner later in the evening. It's always great to have friends that are local and know the area, they were able to recommend a great place to eat. I think we spent 2+ hours talking, not about history, which was great considering we had an early start the next day.

 

🚗 Rotterdam to Wallendorf – Crossing into the Siegfried Line

Up early at 0615, Joey picked me up and we headed out on the road trip.

 

 

Have to have my coffee...

 

🧱 Wallendorf – Siegfried Line Bunkers Along the Our River

Our first stop was a C-Werk bunker built in 1938 as part of the Siegfried Line defences. After the 1940 campaign, many of these bunkers were disarmed, with weapons removed for use elsewhere, though some were later reoccupied by German forces in 1944.

 

 

 

We then continued along the River Our towards Gentingen, where we examined a larger B-Werk bunker originally designed to house a 37mm anti-tank gun. The weapon was later removed and likely redeployed to coastal Atlantic Wall defences.

The bunker positions here were eventually overrun by the US 5th Armored Division, though fighting along the Hoesdorf ridge remained intense.

 

 

🪖 Wallendorf & Hoesdorf Ridge – US Advance and Defensive Lines

We also walked through surviving German trench positions overlooking the US advance on the Hoesdorf ridge line.

 

 

The nearby village church in Wallendorf provides a stark contrast to the military remnants scattered across the landscape.

 

 

 

From higher ground west of the village, I stood on top of another bunker locally referred to as the “Hitler Bunker,” where it is believed German leadership observed the post-1940 frontier

 

 

 

 

🌉 Luxembourg Border Route – Tracing the German Advance (16 December 1944)

Leaving Wallendorf, we crossed into Luxembourg and began tracing the German advance route of 16 December 1944 — the opening of the Battle of the Bulge.

The drive took us through small villages including Mullerthal, Berdorf, and toward Echternach.

Despite the scale of the German offensive, resistance was immediate in several locations. One key position was the former “Fortress Hotel” in Berdorf, associated with the 4th Infantry Division, which held out against early assaults before being overrun.

 🪖 Hill 313 – Key Defensive Position in the Battle of the Bulge

It is interesting to note that the Germans only advanced as far as Echternach before the US forces counterattacked just before Christmas. Heavy fighting took place on the Luxembourg side of the Sauer river. We stopped at Hill 313 where there is a memorial to the soldiers who fought and died fighting there in 1944. On the 24th of December 1944, the 10th Regiment advanced from Michelshof on the main road to Echternach. That night, 2nd BN took hill 313 where, previously, the 159th Engineers fighting with two companies. The 2nd BN of the 10th Regiment took the hill that day, with support from 4 tanks, they advanced along the main road with G company providing cover of the ridges. E company advanced on the left over the fields between Sheidgen and Michelshof.

 

 

 

🌉 Weilerbach – 5th Infantry Division River Crossing into Germany (1945)

We then continued east toward Weilerbach, where the 5th Infantry Division crossed into Germany in February 1945.

The crossing of the Sauer River was conducted under fire, with German defensive positions controlling the far bank and high water levels making the operation particularly difficult.

A memorial stands close to the crossing point, marking the division’s advance into Germany.

 

 

 

As time was getting short, and I wanted to take a look at the remnants of the Siegfried line, we only made a brief stop at Diekirch. The village is East of Wallendorf and saw heavy fighting in the counter attack following the German advance. The village has high ground on a number of sides which meant advancing, and taking, the German positions was always going to be a difficult, and costly task. Perhaps, on a future tour, I can spend some time investigating the area a bit more. They have a small museum in the village which warrants a look as well...if the displays outside are anything to go by.

 

 

⚔️ Siegfried Line – St Vith and Malmedy Sector

Moving southeast, we visited remaining sections of the Siegfried Line, including dragon’s teeth tank obstacles and bunker remnants.

Although less extensive than expected, these fortifications still demonstrate the defensive depth of the German border system.

A memorial in the area commemorates both American and German forces, including the 277th Volksgrenadier Division.

This region also lies along the axis of advance used by Kampfgruppe Peiper during the Ardennes offensive.

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving the Siegfried line we drove through an area that has significant importance when it comes to the battle and the losses suffered by both sides. The area around where the above photos were taken is where the tanks and men under Joachim Piper would have travelled when moving west towards Antwerp. There were a number of roads (Rollbahns) through the Siegfried lines where the tanks would have passed, the road next to the dragons teeth in the photo above is one of them. It's worth bearing in mind that it was some of those troops who committed the Malmedy massacre. The troops were part of the 6th Panzer army of which the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte was part. Under the 1st SS Division were four Kampfgruppes of which Piper commanded the most substantial. Long story short, due to a number of reasons his progress was delayed which resulted in him taking a more southerly route. Some argue that due to this deviation and the fact that his route then went south of Malmedy then it wasn't likely that it was troops he commanded. There are a number of books written on the subject, I'll let you do the research and make your own mid up.

 

I'd like to close the blog with something more personal. We came across some graffiti left by American soldiers almost 75 years ago. For me, such things bring home the human side of the battle.

 

The  link below takes you to a map that shows the main spots that we visited. Clicking on the stars should, if I haven't screwed it up, describe what they relate to in the blog.

Battlefield Map-Google

🧭 Reflections on the Battle of the Bulge Battlefield Tour

As the day progressed, the scale of the Ardennes offensive became increasingly clear — from river crossings and fortified bunkers to villages caught directly in the path of advancing armoured columns.

What stands out most is how geography shaped every aspect of the battle. Rivers, ridgelines, and narrow forest roads dictated movement, delay, and ultimately outcome.

Seeing these locations in person brings a very different understanding compared to maps and history books — the terrain itself becomes part of the story.

 

💬 Final Question

If you could visit just one battlefield from the Ardennes campaign — Siegfried Line, Luxembourg villages, or the Malmedy sector — which would you choose and why?

🤝 Acknowledgements

I’d like to extend my thanks to Joey Van Meesen for taking the time to guide me through the battlefield. Joey is a passionate and knowledgeable historian, and having someone with local insight made a significant difference to the experience.

These sites are far richer when you understand not just what happened, but how the landscape connects each phase of the campaign.