Malmedy Massacre Location Then and Now

A brief slide show of the World War 2 massacre location in Baugnez Belgium, in 1944 and today.

[@kevinaltizer]

I have been there quite a few times. I lived in the Netherlands for five years working for the US Gov't as a civilian, so I tried to visit many Bulge places. One thing I liked about the Malmedy site is on one of the corners there, just across from the café, is a memorial with a US flag/pole in the middle of a landscaped star. There are roses planted around the foot of the flag pole that are from Texas.

[@stevestansfield1699]

Thanks for making this presentation. I plan to do a self-guided WWII tour in a few years and of course the Malmedy Massacre site is on my bucket list. After looking at many websites and maps I could find on the actual massacre site I was under the impression that the massacre field encompassed the entire area from the present day Baugnez 44 museum northward to near the crossroad. In fact, it is just a small slice of that field and appears to be confined mainly to the property where the current day stone building is located. I have seen a few drawings that show the massacre field to extend just south of that property a few yards that what you show at 2:10, but nevertheless that stone building property is definitely a major component of the actual field. Thanks for putting this together. This will be very helpful for when I'm actually able to make that trip.

[@craigsped]

Yes, I believe most of the dead were uncovered in what would be the front yard of what is now the stone house. According to the book “Fatal Crossroads” and accompanying maps there were a few more men whose bodies were uncovered on the nearby road behind the burned out cafe. Thanks for commenting. This has always been a WW2 event in the European theater that has interested me. Another being the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland.

[@F.Castle93]

Very cool video. Thank you for taking the time and putting this together for us. I just watched Saints and Soldiers. Movie is loosely based on the events at Malmedy. After that I just can not stop looking at videos and info on it. So sad that this happened. Thanks again!

[@j.burgess4459]

A horrible dark episode! It was also one where justice may never have been satisfactorily done. I understand many of the surviving perpetrators (notably the responsible German commanders) were put on trial right after the end of the war, were found guilty and sentenced to death. But then these sentences were commuted to 35 years imprisonment. And in actual fact they they got set free after only 10 years - maybe less in some cases. I've never really understood this. I guess there may have been a feeling that the slain US prisoners were already "avenged" - so to speak - when some German POWs were killed in a reprisal attack? Also I think there were unfortunate allegations about these defendants having been beaten or otherwise badly treated by US military police while in prison awaiting trial? Obviously I wouldn't condone brutality - but under the circumstances they also couldn't expect to be treated super nicely, in my opinion. Either way, it does feel very weird that the SS officers Sepp Dietrich and Joachim Peiper both died in their beds many years after the end of the war. Those two, at least, probably should have been executed for the crime, or at least have gotten life imprisonment.

[@JKhyway]

If you’re interested in this topic I would highly recommend reading “From Elite Leibstandarte to lifelong scapegoat” by Manfred Thorn, a veteran of the LSSAH who was in the area of malmedy and was interrogated before the trial. His book has testimonies from both German and American troops who were present around Malmedy during the event. Just an all around amazing read.

[@JoeLukes]

Can you provide any information on how/where to get this book? Thank you.

[@TwoFourCharlie007]

Thanks for the very informative video

[@backpain4ever505]

One of the escapees lived in my area. He killed his wife in 88 or 89 and disappeared. His body was found on the Appalachian Trail in 2004.

[@paulj.plaster1465]

Thanks for your upload. Very informative. No sound, or commentary required to convey the War Crime en masse of POWs. But my question is this...... How reliable is the book "Fatal Crossroads"???? I've heard it's very flawed in it's reality and truthfulness?? What is it please,. about this book that shows the truth of the Malmedy Massacrefr

[@craigsped]

I found the book to be very informative with the author going into great detail about the event. Much of his material is based on survivor’s recollections as well the trial transcriptions of the accused German soldiers. Thanks for watching and for your comment.

[@Vevay1961]

The only people trying to discredit "Fatal Crossroads" are the same losers who try to claim that Peiper was innocent of the war crimes he allowed his soldiers to commit repeatedly throughout the war.

[@paulj.plaster1465]

@@Vevay1961 I believe you could be correct. In fact.....im sure of it. I only asked my question because there are SO MANY Historical experts who have written, broadcast, or published their "DEFINITIVE VERSION" ....and as told to them by someone..... who knew someone.......who was married to someone.....who's brother's best friend's cousin's......best friend was THERE"........that its hard to know truth. Just think Little Big Horn.......everyones an Historical expert......based on THEIR eyewitnesses version of events.....as told to them, and handed down for the 4th time.

[@misspat317]

As they used to say on Laugh In, "Very interesting".

[@barryolaith]

A dreadful deed. However, I understand that Joachim Peiper was not in this immediate area when this occurred and at his trial it was accepted that he had not ordered the killing. I think this is important to clarify as your introduction implied he was present and responsible. After the trial, the Americans did not execute him, which they would have done had he been directly involved.

[@craigsped]

I don’t think that his direct responsibility could be proven to the degree of certainty that was required for execution. He was initially sentenced to death, but it was later thought that there was questionable conduct by the prosecutor. He still received a lengthy prison sentence. At least initially. So many years after the war most people were ready to move on, and many of the Germans convicted of war crimes had their prison sentences reduced. The story of his death in a suspicious house fire was that the fire was deliberately set by French partisans. That too was never proven.

[@drivewaynats3696]

So what about all the other acts committed against civvies in Russia and Belgium - you got an excuse for all those too?

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​@@drivewaynats3696500k civvies German killed in allied bombing ariel and french civilians after DDay where do you start and finnish

[@frankvandergoes298]

Present when the killing took place were 2 Pz IV tanks and 3 SPW so about 35 German soldiers. No evidence any German officer gave a specific order to kill the prisoners, rather a spontaneous reaction to some prisoners making a run for it.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Very easy to imagine some amis tried to scatter to escape( as some did when killing started ) before the massacre

[@moreisee]

The actor Charles Durning was there and escaped with a group before the shooting started.

[@jefffriedberg]

Stynking krowts have not changed a bit in 3000 years….

[@donnamuller6460]

Thank you for creating this. 🤍 I've spent a lot of time at the scene(s) of The Battle of the Bulge but have never heard of this. My favorite form of photography is Before and After, so despite the grim subject matter I loved this.