The road towards battle
by Rainer Monnartz
Sep. 10, 1944 (Sunday)
Order of the Führer: for the takeover of the Siegfried Line by the Oberbefehlshaber West (commander in chief West of the armed forces) to the Wehrmacht on 11.09.1944 at 00.00 hours.
Intermediate stay of the Führungsstaffel der 7. Armee (German commanding staff of the 7th Army) in Monschau / Germany.
The last high mass in the old parish church St Paul and Saint Pankratius at Konzen.
Sep. 11, 1944 (Monday)
Shortly after 18.00 hours an American reconnaissance team, led by sergeant Warner W. Holzinger, crosses the Our river near Stolzemburg, north of Vianden/Luxembourg (first allied soldier on German ground).
Order to evacuate the civilian population within the West Wall area.
Americans troops enter Eupen / Belgium.
Sep. 12, 1944 (Tuesday)
U.S. forces reach the German border and a section of the West Wall from Wallendorf to Aachen.
US troops occupy the German town of Roetgen (first town of the German Reich). The Americans encounter first resistance south of the Dreilägerbach dam.
The Americans reach the southern city park of Aachen and occupy the Pelzerturm (Pelzer tower). The first pillboxes of the West Wall are being captured.
Sep. 13, 1944 (Wednesday)
Parts of the 30th Infantry Division (Old Hickory) of the 19th Corps of the First US Army penatrate the suburbs of Maastricht.
Elsenborn / Belgium gets occupied by American troops.
The pillboxes at the Dreilägerbach dam are taken by the Americans. U.S. troops occupy Mulartshütte, Oberforstbach, Schleckheim, Walheim and Hahn.
Sep. 14, 1944 (Tursday)
Lammersdorf is captured by the Americans, who encounter resistance from the north in the direction of the Jägerhaus (forestry house).
Further south, American troops don't gain much terrain.
In the morning they reach Kornelimünster and Breinig and, advancing from Mulartshütte, they reach Zweifall and Vicht in addition to Aachen-Brand and the area south of Eilendorf.
Kalterherberg is taken by the Americans.
Sep. 15, 1944 (Friday)
The Americans manage to break-through to Monschau. During the morning Mützenich falls.
Skirmishes with the German defenders occur in the vicinity of the railway station at Monschau, but it falls to the Americans practically without combat, as Imgebroich and Konzen did just hours before.
The main line of German resistance moves back to Höfen - Rohren.
In the morning, the town center of Stolberg is occupied. American units stand in front of Büsbach. By crossing Derichsberg Hill, the Americans reach Mausbach. Along the Dragon's Teeth of the West Wall, east of Eilendorf, they proceed towards Stolberg-Atsch. The first raids on Stolberg-Atsch and Stolberg-Büsbach are repelled. A German anti-tank gun stops the American advance towards Gressenich. As a result they must pull back to Mausbach.
On this day the frontline stretches from:
south of Burtscheid - Eilendorf - Büsbach - Mausbach- Vicht- Zweifall - east of Rott - Lammersdorf
Sep. 16, 1944 (Saturday)
American troops enter Büsbach.
Coming from Vicht, American units take a bypass road south of Gressenich, via Buche 19 (Beech 19).
(Beech 19 is now a lay-by, ± 1 km in front of Schevenhütte, on the forest road leading from Vicht towards Schevenhütte).
For some time, the road through the forest remains the only main supply route towards Schevenhütte. The Germans are in control of the other roads. Until November, Schevenhütte, situated at the entrance of the Wehebach valley, remains the easternmost point of the American penetration.
Verlautenheide and Stolberg-Atsch are recaptured by German troops.
Sep. 17, 1944 (Sunday)
Höfen falls into the hands of U.S. troops.
The Americans capture Alzen. The Germans lose the Monschau - Höfen - Alzen ridge.
A German counter-attack from Gressenich is pushed back.
Attacking from Werth, Grenadierregiment 89 captures Weißenberg (near Werth), Diepenlinchen (near Mausbach) and Krewinkel (a village part of Mausbach). But then the attack stalls because of the lack of artillery support.
Sep. 17 .. 26, 1944: Operation Market Garden, the Anglo-American Airborne assault at Arnhem and Nijmegen. This operation ties up large parts of the allied supply.
Sep. 18, 1944 (Monday)
After the occupation of Höfen (09/15 .. 09/17), Kauferberg hill is captured by Americans.
Violent fighting at Schevenhütte but it remains in American hands.
Setting off from Mausbach the Americans expand their front in an easterly direction up to Donnerberg.
They gain ground in Stolberg and a few pillboxes are taken. The Hammerberg hill east of Stolberg also falls into the hands of the Americans. Additional attacks from the Hammerberg towards Donnerberg fail. They are repelled with heavy casualties. Single tanks are disabled, some are hit in close-range fighting. Extremely heavy pressure is applied out of Mausbach on Diepenlinchen with numerous tanks. Diepenlinchen falls around noon and the dumpsites of Weissenberg are also captured. Evening attacks against Hill 283.3 falter under extremely heavy U.S. casualties.
On Sep. 18 the main-combat line runs as follows:
Southern fringes of Verlautenheide - Forestry Schwarzenbruch and Schwarzenbruch Estate - Schneidmühle - Buschmühle (west of Münsterbusch)- southern fringes of Münsterbusch-Stolberg Center - Niederhof-Hill 283.3 - northern fringes of Mausbach - Krewinkel - edge of forest south of Buschhausen-Schevenhütte/North.
