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Massacre At Malmédy During the Battle of the BulgeWorld War II | 23 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post
At approximately 1415, soldiers of KGr. Peiper opened fire on the American prisoners in the field next to the Café. The entire episode lasted no more than about 15 minutes. While the shooting was taking place, vehicles of the Kampfgruppe continued to drive past on the N-23. By 1500 Baugnez was quiet, and it was shortly after this, and certainly before 1600 hours, that 61 Americans who somehow were still alive in the field of death next to the Café attempted their escape. Unfortunately, there were still a few Germans in the vicinity, and they opened fire as the escapees ran to the west and northwest. At least 15 were killed. Three more died later, and one was never seen again. Subscribe Today
Lieutenant Colonel Pergrin, standing outside his headquarters in a house in eastern Malmédy, heard the firing by Sternebeck’s tanks and guessed that that little FAOB outfit must have run into that column of German tanks. Sometime around 1500 he decided to make a reconnaissance toward Baugnez to investigate the noise. After passing through one of the eight roadblocks his men had mounted on all the approaches into Malmédy, Pergrin and one of his sergeants dismounted from their jeep at Geromont and continued on foot in a southerly direction. Suddenly they encountered three of the escapees from Five Points. They were hysterical and kept shouting, The Germans killed everybody! Pergrin rushed them back to Malmédy, and at 1640 sent a message to the chief engineer officer at First Army headquarters saying there had been some sort of massacre of American prisoners near Malmédy.
The bodies of those who had died at Five Points on December 17 lay in what became a virtual no man’s land from that day until January 14, 1945. Despite the fact that there was clear evidence from the many survivors that some sort massacre had taken place, the Americans made no attempt to recover the bodies before the 30th Infantry Division retook the area.
By a strange quirk of fate it was one of Pergrin’s engineer companies that, with the aid of mine detectors, uncovered the snow-covered bodies of 71 victims of the massacre. Then, between January 14 and 16, Major Giacento Morrone, Captain Joseph Kurcz and Captain John Snyder, all doctors at the 44th Evacuation Hospital, carried out autopsies on the bodies, which were frozen stiff and fully clothed on arrival at the hospital. The vast majority still had rings, watches, money and other valuables on them, which contradicts the statements of most survivors who said the Germans stole everything worthwhile from them before they were driven into the field. An analysis of the reports, all extremely disturbing to read, shows that 43 of the bodies had gunshot wounds to the head, at least three had suffered severe blows to the head, three had been crushed, two had received some form of first aid before death and nine still had their arms raised above their heads. It should be noted, however, that both before and during the American advance from Malmédy in January 1945, artillery from both sides hit the Baugnez area, and the autopsies confirm that at least 15 of the bodies had been hit by shell and mortar fragments after death. There is also evidence to show that in at least five cases eyes had been removed from their sockets–and in one case the report suggests that the man was still alive when this happened. While anything is possible, it seems unlikely that even the most depraved or crazed soldier would carry out such an act and, as often happens when bodies are left for long periods in the open, crows or similar birds of prey were the more likely culprits. What is certain is that terrible and usually fatal injuries were administered to the victims at close range.
Today there are 84 names on the Belgian memorial at the Baugnez crossroads. Some are misspelled, and Private Louis Vairo’s name was mistakenly deleted a few years ago. The name of Private Delbert Johnson of the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion appears on the memorial, but this is also a mistake–he was not present at Five Points on December 17, but was killed in the same area during an attack toward Hedomont on January 3, 1945. Not surprisingly, when his body was found on January 14 it was assumed that he was a victim of the massacre. This mistake and the fact that men from seven units other than the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion were recovered from Five Points have led to the suggestion that bodies unconnected with this incident were deliberately placed in the field by U.S. authorities after December 17. This is one of a number of spurious arguments presented by Nazi apologists over the years in their efforts to prove that no massacre took place or that, at the very least, the Americans tried to make the incident look much worse than it really was. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Historical Conflicts, World War II
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23 Comments to “Massacre At Malmédy During the Battle of the Bulge”
Can anyone supply a link to actor Charles Durnings relationship to this event. He was describedby CNN as a a survivor.
By Thomas R Miller on Aug 1, 2008 at 10:58 am
Please ignore previous request, I have found an abundance.
By Thomas R Miller on Aug 1, 2008 at 11:33 am
This is a very interesting, thought provoking account. The author’s final conclusions seem unbiased and well supported by the (known) facts.
Sgt, USMC 68-71
By Will S on Aug 3, 2008 at 11:15 am
Different estimates of casualties are reported on different pages. How many were killed, wounded?
By mitchell kaidy on Aug 22, 2008 at 1:55 pm
My father 84 year old father, John L. Harnack, a sergeant with the 285th Observation Battalion Battery B, was driving vehicle B1. He had a lieutenant with him. The way he describes the incident, they arrived at a crossroads, and were directed down the road ahead. As they started down the road, the lieutenant kind of “went berserk” and demanded that they turn around. AT that point, my father turned the car around and went against traffic and the two serials following him, to transport the officer to a hospital in St. Vith. When he returned to the crossroads, the MPs told him he could not go on, that there was some small arms fire heard ahead. From this point he cannot remember how he heard what happened, though he thinks he might have gone back to the Hercken Forest to wait for further instructions. I realize this was a traumatic experience for him as he had been with the battalion of men since training at Fort Sills, OK, and at Hendrix College in Arkansas before shipping overseas. I believe the loss of memory of the details may have been a strategy of his subconcious to keep him from despair or PTSD. We are trying to confirm the rest of the story for him.
By Lauren Rafael on Sep 15, 2008 at 2:58 pm
although i agree that in this instance, the charge that eyes of the soldiers being cut out was probably unfounded, it is not at all past comprehension knowing the crimes against soldiers in the Pacific by the Japanese. The statement in the article that no soldier, however depraved or crazed would have done such a thing does not reflect the horrors inflicted by the Japanese, even to the extent of much worse than those mentioned here.
By Heidi Peaster on Sep 22, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I have just recieved over 60 pictures of the men of the 285th battery B FAOB and the Christmas dinner menu from 1943( which is signed by about 60+ persons from the company). These items belonged to my great-uncle, Lee Lucas, who was captured and later died in stalag 4b, I believe. I also have his “diary” from the stalag. IF ANYONE can help me identify the persons in the pictures or give me additional info in reference to my great uncle I would certainly appreciate it. Please contact me at Athos0620@hotmail.com or call me at (215) 676-3098. Please ask for Lonnie Clausson. Also I have done a little leg work and identified several names on the photos and the menu as persons who were murdered at Malmedy.
By Lonnie Clausson ` on Oct 1, 2008 at 10:17 pm
IN ref.to my previous post I have just discovered that my great-uncle was known to us in his family as “Lee” Lucas, But in fact he was Cpl. David Lucas who is listed as allegedly dying in stalag 4b on march 3rd 1945 from wounds sustained at the Malmedy massacre…..however in his diary he has a self made calender, which for some reason has a notation that he was ” wounded and captured the 7th of jan. 1945″ and has X’s covering the calender up to the date of march 30th. I could really use some help figuring this out. Please help me clear up this historical abnormality.
By Lonnie Clausson ` on Oct 1, 2008 at 10:54 pm
My uncle Thomas Frederic Watt was among the victims. I could probably identify him in pictures if not previously located.
By Thomas Novak on Dec 20, 2008 at 8:35 am
Contact information: humbug@wizard-deluxe.com
By Thomas Novak on Dec 20, 2008 at 8:38 am
You may be interested in hearing Frank Zingers account of walking back to his company from the hospital near Malmedy days before the massacre. I have posted it as a podcast at http://www.AudioMemories.org.
By David Boeve on Jan 21, 2009 at 8:25 pm
My Dad has told the story of the only surviver that showed up at his camp. What is his name and is he still alive . My Dad is 90 and he was Cpt. Knox
By rknox2@tx.rr.com on May 26, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Just talked to my Dad he said this scared kid 18 or 19 came into their camp 1st Army 32nd Field Artellerie . Said it was the start o f the Bulge “My Dad Said” He said he thiught he was the only survivor
By rknox2@tx.rr.com on May 26, 2009 at 9:22 pm
My dad fought with the 2nd division from Omaha and through to Elsenborn Ridge and the Rhine, etc. He met a Belgian girl in Burg-Reuland before the Bulge. She later married him and came to the US. As my mother, she provided an insight into The War that I have not gotten from any history books. One of her many ’stories’ was about the extremely young German soldiers whom her family encountered shortly before the Americans retook the area for the final time. They had little to no food rations, and although it was the dead of winter with thick snow on the ground and temperatures well below freezing, some of the German soldiers had no boots, only newspaper and cardboard, wrapped with burlap and tied with cord. Her non-military thoughts regarding the massacre were that if the German army could not feed its own, it certainly couldn’t feed its prisoners. Another cruel reality of war.
My dad, on the other hand, told few ‘war stories,’ only tales of some of his fellow soldiers. I saw my dad cry three times in my life. The first was when President Reagan commemorated the 40th anniversary of the D-Day invasions at Normandy. He did not cry for long, but clearly his pain was deep. The second was when his mother died. The third time he cried was when I had finally convinced him–at the age of 70–that he and my mom needed to ‘go back.’ He resisted long and hard. Then, suddenly he said, “I just want to see where those boys are buried” and choked back a ragged sob. Both my mother and I knew what he meant.
The happy ending to this posting is that dad came back from his trip, a different man, a man far more at peace with himself. One of his photos from the trip showed him standing in front of the memorial at Malmedy with his arm around another man about his age, both of them smiling broadly. I asked who this gentleman was. He declared that it was Helmut (or someone) who was the curator (?) of the place. They had conversed and determined that they had actually fought against each other.
The commanders who gave the orders tend to make the history books. But, as these postings attest, the ones who carried out those orders, who actually made the history, are/were our dads and uncles, grandfathers, brothers, and husbands. Just Dads and Helmuts. God bless them all.
By Kathy H on Jun 11, 2009 at 6:40 pm
My mother Lois Detwiler(now deceased) was to marry one of the
victims killed at Malmedy.His name was Don from Altoona,PA.
I have a few pictures.I can find his last name if I dig.He was a
field surveyor .My mother never really got over over it.She was
only 18 at the time.There was always a sadness about her.When
she passed I was glad she could finally be with Don, the love of her
life.Does anyone out there have any knowledge of him?
By Judi Governale on Jun 16, 2009 at 5:23 pm
How would you find a casualty list from the Malmedy massacre? I have been told that my great uncle was one of the victims.
By James Tidwell on Jun 17, 2009 at 9:51 am
I have a casualty list from the Malmedy massacre.Also have
a group pictures with the mens names and a big list of names
and addresses last updated in 1971.Found in my moms things.
She was engaged to Sgt.Donald Geisler.He was in the front row
of the massacre.By the way the history cannel has a video of
the Malmedy Massacre.If you contact them you probably can
get a copy.My mother had sent for one and I may still have it.
My home phone is (928)758-5274.Need to know James
uncle’s name.Will look for him on the group picture also
casualty list.
By Judi Governale on Jun 18, 2009 at 12:15 am
Charles Whiting wrote a book called “Massacre at Malmedy. In
the book he examines the events through eyewitnesses including
two who never appeared at the Dachau Trial.Paul Pfeiffer, a 15
year-old school boy at the time and Henry Le Joly now in his
70’s and living across the street from the massacre site at the time
The enemy troops involved in the attack massacre of battery
B were believed to have been from 12th SS Panzer Division.Col.
joachim Peiper who led the SS Troopers into Belgium served
only 14 yrs in prison for the massacre.He was convicted on such questionable evidence.
I wonder how many of those SS are still living?
By Judi Governale on Jun 18, 2009 at 12:40 am
David Lucas and Thomas Watt are both in the Group picture I
have.The casuality list I have is only partial.According to the
paperwork I have, approx 150 americans were involved,43 escaped of which three-quarters of these had been wounded.
Only 25 men of Battery B roster of 138 reported safe after the
event.The report says:others may come in later but unlikely
as the area was still in German hands.Iam reading from
classified copies that somehow mom got.
By Judi Governale on Jun 18, 2009 at 11:14 am
Hello
My name is Mike Smeets.
I am a 38 year old historical researcher from Landgraaf, The Netherlands. For many, many years now I have been studying the exploits of the German Battlegroup Peiper and its US adversaries during the Battle of the Bulge 1944. Over the years I have been able to contact many German and US veterans – incl. Malmedy survivors – who helped me reconstruct the events as they happened so many years ago. I am also in contact with several wellknown authors. As I am living very near to the beautiful Ardennes, I have visited the actual battlefields numerous times already.
I am reading all of the very interesting messages and would be interested in correspondence with all of you concerning the crossroads, Dec.17 1944. Like I already mentioned I am in contact with/corresponded with serveral Malmedy survivors and even German eye.witnesses, so please do contact me so we can share information.
If you are interested contact me at: mwhp.smeets@hotmail.com.
With very best regards from The Netherlands,
Mike Smeets
Akkerwinde 27
6374 RD Landgraaf
THE NETHERLANDS
By Mike Smeets on Jun 19, 2009 at 8:48 am
To Judi:
I would like to add that I also interviewed every still living Belgian who witnessed the events at the crossroads incl. Robert Pfeiffer. Together with him I visited the new ‘Baugnez-museum’ and I can tell you, he was very disappointed.
I would love to hear from you.
Mike Smeets
By Mike Smeets on Jun 19, 2009 at 8:55 am
To: James Tidwell,There is a casualty list on this web site.Go to
Malmedy Massacre.US Army personnel involved in it.
Judi
By Judi Governale on Jun 19, 2009 at 5:34 pm