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Herrlisheim, France - The town of Herrlisheim, France remembers the sacrifice of the 12th Armor Division “Hellcats” and the liberation of their village from Nazis in 1945. The remembrance ceremony on May 8 was meaningful to the attendees in various ways. One individual attended because she lived through the Nazi occupation, another came to feel a connection to his uncle who fought with the Hellcats, and a third person grew up hearing about the sacrifices made for his town and for France as a whole.
“Today, we mark the 80th year since this town was liberated,” said Col. Rick Galeano, U.S. Forces, Europe. “Eight decades later … today is a time for all of us to honor the countless sacrifices that were made during WWII and to continue to uphold the values of freedom and democracy.”
In 1944, Nazi Germany launched a final offensive to reclaim the Alsace region in France, aiming to break the lines of the U.S. Seventh Army and the French 1st Army in order to seize the city of Strasbourg. The primary objective of the 21st Panzer Division was to cut off the American supply lines. However, they did not anticipate the fierce resistance from the 12th Armored Division and the French forces. After several weeks of intense fighting, the Panzer Division was unable to capture the town, though they were not defeated outright. The substantial damage inflicted by the Hellcats on the 21st Panzer Division ultimately hindered their advance, forcing them to retreat into Nazi territory.
“The effort to take Herrlisheim was considered a highly difficult operation by the Allies, where Americans fought against an overstrength force, challenging weather, and terrain that slowed their tank movement,” Galeano said. “In the end, the Allied forces succeeded in stopping enemy forces from reaching Strasbourg and Colmar despite having lost an entire tank battalion in Herrlisheim as they faced a well-planned offensive and well-equipped German military.”
Marie Rosa Furste was born and raised in Herrlisheim. During World War II, she, along with many residents of the town, had to adopt a German identity while the region was occupied by Nazi forces.
In 1940, many Alsacian refugees found themselves in central France. Furste was among them and spent a year as a refugee before she was able to return to Alsace.
After Herrlisheim was liberated, Furste moved back to rebuild her life. She worked various small jobs in the town and eventually got married and started a family.
Furste continues to support the town and participates in anniversary ceremonies.
“I love seeing the U.S. Soldiers,” Furste said, “these types of ceremonies, and doing this experience today.”
As Europe and the world recognize the 80th anniversary of World War II, many stories from that time are being remembered by the next generation. One such story is that of Edward Somers, whose uncle, also named Edward Somers, fought in Herrlisheim as a Soldier with the 12th Armored Division.
“My uncle was in Company C, 43rd [Tank Battalion] of the 12th Armored Division,” Somers said. “He fought here in the Second World War.
Somers, who is from Scotland, traveled to France with his sister, daughter, and her family to honor his uncle’s memory.
“It’s emotional,” Somers shared about the ceremony. “I knew the man. He was one of three brothers. It’s very emotional! Even though some of it was in French, we understood the gist of it.”
Edward Somers was originally from Westmeath, Ireland, and immigrated to the United States before the war began in Europe. Today, his headstone is located in Milltown Cemetery in Ireland.
“He told stories from the war, especially one about a battle on a hill,” Somers recounted. “The battle lasted a couple of days. He didn’t think he would survive, but he did. A sniper shot his tank commander, taking the top of his head off. The bullet also grazed my uncle, taking off his eyebrow and part of his skull. He didn’t lose his eye, but afterward he had a drooped eyelid as a battle scar.”
Mary Somers added that her uncle found it very difficult to talk about the war, especially his experiences in the camps.
While they are still uncovering some details about their uncle's service, Somers and his family find the emotional ceremonies worth it to celebrate Cpl. Edward Somers' life.
The children of the town showed great honor and respect for the sacrifices made by U.S. soldiers for their community.
Clement Danenmuler was part of the group of children that presented during the ceremony. As a fourth-generation resident since World War II, he has grown up hearing stories about the American and French resistance Soldiers and the sacrifices they made for the people of Herrlisheim.
"The ceremony is to honor the military and the veterans who fought in the Second World War," Danenmuler said, translated by Claire Schaeffer, a resident of Herrlisheim. "I am proud of what they did; they were truly brave."
After 80 years, the memories and emotions remain vivid across generations. It is important to honor these sacrifices as the last of the 'Great Generation' fades into history. In remembrance, the town unveiled a memorial monument dedicated to the Soldiers who sacrificed their lives here.
“Above all, let us offer our deepest gratitude to the liberators of the Allied forces and the resistance fighters who helped them,” Galeano said. “Together, they faced unimaginable hardship; endured relentless combat; and witnessed horrors that would haunt them for a lifetime. Risking everything to dismantle the Nazi regime and free all of Europe from its tyranny, they didn’t just liberate towns like Herrlisheim -- they liberated hope; they liberated human dignity; and they liberated the future we enjoy today.”
‘This we will defend’ – U.S. Army motto.
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2025 05:56 |
| Story ID: | 498662 |
| Location: | HERRLISHEIM, FR |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Generations of gratitude: Herrlisheim remembers 80 years of liberation, by SFC Jacob Kohrs, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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