The "Poche de Colmar" and the end of Nazi rule in Alsace (lecture)

Almost 80 years ago, the Second World War came to an end in Alsace. With the recapture of Strasbourg on November 23, 1944, Alsace was liberated in the north; with the recapture of Hüningen at the southern end of Alsace on December 1, 1944, victory for the Allies was already within reach. But it took until February 9, 1945 for the last German soldiers to retreat across the Rhine. Nobody would have thought that the liberation of Alsace would only take place in stages, and in such bloody stages right on our doorstep. The military cemeteries in Bergheim and Sigolsheim bear witness to the thousands of American, French and German soldiers who died here shortly before the end of the war. The main reason for this delay was the "Poche de Colmar", the bridgehead of the German forces that stretched from Hüningen in the south to Rheinau in the north. The event will shed light on the events from the perspective of three people who were there and gave testimony. It is a story that very few people on our side of the Rhine know about and which has almost been suppressed even in Alsace. Yet it still plays an important role today, especially in Alsace, in recognizing the Alsatians who were forcibly recruited and fell victim to the Nazi madness. - Registration required.

Course number: 261102442