Any WWII (Euro Theater) buffs?

[mnblade]

This summer I am thinking of taking my mom to the area on the Belgian/German border where the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and Battle of the Bulge were fought. My late grandfather - her dad - fought in both battles, coming home with one arm and two Purple Hearts.

I have no idea, however, how to approach trip-planning for this. I've been scanning the web and just ordered a couple books. Have any of you guys toured the battle sites there? Any tips? Leads? Recommendations?

 

[canook]

My wife's in the Air Force and we've been stationed in Europe for about 4 years now. I usally do a war related trip every year for my birthday. Normandy last year and Ypres Belgium the year before. Generally I try to find a small family run hotel in a small town in the area I'm seeing. Rates are alot lower compared to bigger cities and they usually have free parking. Rental cars are way cheaper in Europe than in the States so I would definately get one instead of relying on public transport. You don't really need an internationl drivers license but you can get them from AAA if you want. Every hotel I've been to has had a big rack full of brochures for tours of battlefield and such so I generally just wing it when I get there. To find a hotel I allways use Booking.com. It's a really good site for finding small/more obscure hotels in the villages and the countryside. Even though Belgians and Germans typically speek English it's a good idea to learn a little French and German. Mainly just "hello", "how much" and "thank you". They really appreciate it when English speekers try to make an effort.
Have fun.

 

[A.W.U.K.]

Unfortunately he did not cover the battlefields you mention but Richard Holmes 2 TV series "War Walks" and War Walks II" make rivetting viewing and several of the battlefields described are in or close to Belgium, eg. Arras, Dunkirk, Waterloo and Agincourt. Many are WW2 but are rather more widely scattered.
Agincourt is of course a medieval battlefield but it is rewarding to visit as the ground is almost unaltered after 600 years and there is a good and informative museum.
You can view clips on youtube or order DVDs.

I'm thinking that the way Holmes brings the battlefield to life with his vivid descriptions will inspire you when you visit the places you intend to go to though you may wish to visit one of the described sites too.
[youtube]BdWP2TIFxZ8[/youtube]

Other than that I'd concur the advice above.

 

[FwdHO]

I can't help with the trip planning but I have to say it sounds like a fantastic trip. I read and watch every WWII book and documentary I can lay my hands on - it fascinates me. Someday I will walk from the beaches of Normandy to the Eagles nest - at least that is my dream vacation. And thank you, BRUK for your post - I now have some catching up to do with Richard Holmes!

 

[eisman]

A buddy of mine goes every year to help with the annual tour for the Airborne guys. I'll check with him tomorrow and see if he's got any tips. He arranged a really good staff walk for us about 6 months ago with lectures from a couple SME's on the D-Day landings.