Battle of the Bulge Tour : Monument to massacre at Noville-lez-Bastogne

Noville-lez-Bastogne is today part of Bastogne but in 1944 it was a village. It was captured by the Germans in the initial stages of the Battle of the Bulge and thus found itself outside the Bastogne perimetre. During this second occupation a number of locals were murdered incliuding the village priest for reasons I am unaware of. This is the monument to them.

[mikethornton]

American Task Force Desobry + 1/506th PIR of the 101st Airborne fought for two days to keep the German Army, 21st Panzer Division outside of Noville. On Dec. 21 1944 the Germans entered the town, found pictures of the towns people welcoming the Americans. This was when Noville was first liberated from the Germans in mid September 1944. The Gestapo shot the eight villagers that could be identified in the photo for collaborating with the Americans. Yes, the Gestapo was there, and the villagers were killed.