The First Battle for the Dams.
by Rainer Monnartz
Dec. 13, 1944 (Wednesday)
Three days before the German Ardennes Offensive, the Americans once again become active in the Monschau theatre of operations. On 7.Dec. the commander of the US First Army, General Hodges, had already given General Gerow (commander of the V Corps, which was in position there), the order to now also advance on the dams with ground troops. The offensive had been scheduled for 13 December then. Even though the troop concentration of the 78th Infantry Division (US) in the Lammersdorf area, and of the 2nd Infantry Division (US) in the Wahlerscheid area (on the present day B258, between Höfen and Schöneseiffen), has not remained hidden from German reconnaissance troops, the defenders are surprised by the strength of the enemy attack. During the afternoon the Americans storm Rollesbroich from Lammersdorf and Paustenbach. The breakthrough on Simmerath also succeeds; however, the Germans are able to stop any further advance on the eastern edge of Kesternich.
In contrast, the attack on Kallbrück by units of the 8th Infantry Division (US), which are entrenched in the Upper Kall Valley, fails, since the Germans are able to hold their ground on the heavy contested Ochsenkopf (on the L160 and Reichstraße 399 – today the B399).
From its base in Belgian Rocherath, the 2nd Infantry Division (US) advances on Wahlerscheid through the trackless forest, but is stopped by strong ground fortifications at the former toll gate (a few hundred meters from the B258).
Dec. 14, 1944 (Thursday)
While the Germans are able to hold parts of Simmerath, the Americans re-start the stalled attack on Kesternich with tanks and infantry. There a regiment of the 272. Volksgenadier Division (GE) defends itself with the courage of despair, but is forced back meter by meter. In the afternoon it has lost the battle. The Americans, however, are no longer able to advance further towards Rurberg in the east or towards Huppenbroich in the south.
In the area of Wahlerscheid the 2nd Infantry Division (US), which had been stopped on the previous day, also fails to advance further. It has stumbled on the 326. Volksgrenadier Division (GE), which is ready and in position for the Ardennes Offensive. The Americans suffer enormous casualties.
Dec. 15, 1944 (Friday)
In Kesternich the Americans are obviously feeling too safe. Consequently they miss their opponents’ preparations for the re-taking of the village.
In the afternoon, after short but thorough artillery preparation, the Germans strike back. From the forest area to the southwest, in the direction of Tiefenbach, the infantry wins back the town with a surprise attack. The approximately 300 American soldiers are caught so completely off guard that they fall into captivity with practically no casualties.
Kufferath and Bergheim (between Obermaubach and Düren) are lost to the Americans.
Dec. 16, 1944 (Saturday)
The German Ardennes Offensive, under the codename “Wacht am Rhein”, the final major offensive of the German Wehrmacht on the Western Front, begins. It is Hitler’s idea to cut the Allies off from their supply routes, encircling and annihilating them by a lightning advance over the Maas to Antwerp. The high casualties among American soldiers are then expected to bring about rising political pressure in the USA, causing the American withdrawal from the European theatre of war.
The Wehrmacht draws its last reserves together: 250,000 soldiers, 970 tanks, 1,900 artillery pieces and 1,600 planes. The Americans are completely surprised by the German attack in the Ardennes, so that the Germans quickly have initial success. The German attacks are made easier by the bad weather; the Americans are unable to deploy their superior air power. With an improvement in the weather, and the deployment of the Allied Air Forces, the German advance into the Ardennes is ended.
The capture of the road junction at Wahlerscheid by units of the 99th Infantry Division (US). Monschau is let off with only a fright: Generalmajor Freiherr von Gerstdoff, General Staff Chief of the 7th German Army, has been able to convince Sepp Dietrich (commander of the 6th Panzerarmee) to exclude the “Pearl of the Eifel” from the devastating fire of the 54 cm Mörser (mortar) ‘Karl’ (Geraet 041); a destroyed Monschau would be of no use in the advance. In contrast, the battle rages around Monschau. The LXVII German Army Corps (“Korps Monschau”), with the 272. and 326 Volksgrenadier Bataillons (GE), attack from Konzen in the direction of Mützenich. Battles in Höfen-Alzen, in the direction of Hohe Mark. Alzen is re-captured by the Germans.
Dec. 17, 1944 (Sunday)
The road junction at Wahlerscheid is given up by the Americans without a fight.
German attack out of Wahlerscheid crossing the Perlenbach Valley, situated between Konzen and Mützenich, passing Höfen Parish Church and Heidgen, against strong opposition.
Wahlerscheid and Alzen remain in German hands.
Lendersdorf, situated at the gates of Düren, is lost to the Americans.
Dec. 18, 1944 (Monday)
Battles around Höfen, which once again falls to the Americans.
Dec. 19, 1944 (Tuesday)
Kesternich has changed hands many times but, after heavy losses on both sides, remains in German hands.
Dec. 19. - Dec. 20, 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Forest battles in the upper Perlenbach Valley, Hohe Mark and the road between Elsenborn and Kalterherberg.
Dec. 20. - Dec. 21, 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Battle in the direction of Untermaubach.
Dec. 24. - Dec. 25, 1944 (Sunday/Monday)
Winden, between Obermaubach and Düren, is lost to the Americans.
Dec. 22. - Dec. 26, 1944 (Fr./Sat./Sun./Mon./Tues.)
Battles in the Hohe Mark, which changes hands many times, as well as in the forest between Perlenbach and Fuhrtsbach, south of Alzen.
Dec. 26, 1944 (Tuesday)
Obermaubach is lost to the Americans.
Reorganization of the German units in the Monschau theatre, and positioning for the attack.
Dec. 29, 1944 (Friday)
The Americans have brought together heavy artillery units at the northern flank of the Ardennes front. There is ceaseless fire from Kesternich to Wahlerscheid. This not only ties down the last German units in Wahlerscheid /Rocherath/Krinkelt, but at the same time prepares the final onslaught on the dams.
Jan. 01, 1945 (Monday)
Last major deployment of the German Luftwaffe against Allied airfields in the Netherlands and Belgium. (“Operation Bodenplatte”)
Jan. 05, 1945 (Friday)
In the snow-covered Monschau area there is once again movement at the front. After the Americans have initially only brought forward great quantities of supplies, battles begin around the pillboxes at the road junction “Am Gericht” (between Konzen and Simmerath).
Jan. 10, 1945 (Wednesday)
In the Monschau theatre of operations, the Americans now switch more aggressively to offensive mode. The Germans continue to hold the pillbox chain in the region of Raffelsbrand-Ochsenkopf, above Kallbrück on the Reichsstraße 399 (today B399) and the L 160. After heavy fighting, little by little, some pillboxes are lost.
On the southern slopes of the Kall Valley, “Am Buhlert”, the Germans have strengthened their positions in expectation of an American attack on Schmidt.
Jan. 11, 1945 (Thursday)
In the Upper Kall Valley the bitter fighting continues. After more than 3 months the Americans succeed in bringing the Ochsenkopf region into their control by capturing the last of the German-held pillboxes. Remnants of the 85. Volksgrenadier Division (GE) are able to hold their positions at Raffelsbrand, and the forest on the southern slopes of the Kall Valley, named “Buhlert”, is also successfully defended.
The snow-rich and, in part, extremely cold winter now also reaches its apex in the Hürtgen Forest. In Aachen temperatures of – 20.4ºC are reached.
Because of their experiences in the winter battles in Russia, the German soldiers cope better with this situation than the inexperienced Americans.
Jan. 12, 1945 (Friday)
Start of the big offensive in central Poland.
Jan. 16, 1945 (Tuesday)
With “Operation Blackcock”, the Allied spring offensive, which has the objective of advancing as far as possible, and as quickly as possible, into the heart of Germany, begins.
To realize the advances in the north and the south, the Rhineland must first of all be captured. The Eifel dams and their environs are still occupied by the Germans.
The Americans want to commence the end phase of the Battle for the Rhineland with three operations:“Veritable” is the planned British advance from the Nijmegen sector to the Geldern-Xanten region, and is scheduled for 8 February.
To the south it is joined by “Operation Grenade”, with the advance from the Rur Line to the north of Düsseldorf – the goal being the Ruhr industrial area.
Finally, “Lumberjack” is concerned with the American advance out of the Eifel towards the Cologne area.
Jan. 25, 1945 (Thursday)
The Rundstedt Offensive in the Ardennes has ended for the Germans with formidable losses and without success.
Summary of the losses, after 5 weeks of the Ardennes battles:
| Dead | Missing | Wounded | Total | |
| German | 17,236 | 16,000 | 34,439 | 67,765 |
| American | 8,607 | 21,144 | 47,139 | 76,890 |
German to English translation made by Scorpio and Christine Greenthaner.