German soldiers from the Second World War are buried at the "Spicherer Höhen" war cemetery. Spicheren (German: Spichern) is located directly on the French-German border.
Cemetery description
Opposite the entrance area - at the other end of the war cemetery - there is a small memorial square with a carved stone cross. There are 60 stone grave crosses in four rows on rectangular lawns. Each gravestone bears two names. The war cemetery is surrounded by trees on three sides. The Rue des Hauteurs offers an unobstructed view of the countryside. Saarbrücken is within sight.
Occupancy
The "Spicherer Höhen" were repeatedly the scene of fierce fighting. The Battle of Spichern was fought here during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. As a result of this war, Lorraine fell to the German Empire.
in 1919, the Treaty of Versailles returned Lorraine to France. At the beginning of the Second World War, the German army command attached great importance to the "Spichern Heights" for its defense. As the "Spichern position", they were part of the "Westwall" between Saarbrücken and Forbach. They were largely located on French territory. From a German perspective, the proximity to the Saarland industrial facilities and the city of Saarbrücken made it necessary to capture the nearby Giffertwald forest. The Wehrmacht set up anti-tank positions and bunkers here.
In February 1945, US troops of the 70th Infantry Division captured Spicheren. During the war, the Wehrmacht established a cemetery on this site in the front area. After the end of the war, the municipality of Spicheren moved more German soldiers from field graves to this cemetery. An agreement reached between Spicheren and the city of Saarbrücken in the early 1950s led to the city of Saarbrücken building this cemetery in 1952. Most of the dead are identified, a few remain nameless.
History
The "Spicherer Höhen" military cemetery is the first German war cemetery of the Second World War on French soil. When the Franco-German War Graves Agreement was signed in 1966, it became the 23rd war cemetery to be included in the treaty.
Special feature
The Franco-German military cemetery "Giffertwald" is located close to the war cemetery. It is dedicated to the dead of the Battle of Spichern on August 6, 1870. Originally laid out at a different location, it had to make way for the construction of the Saarbrücken - Metz highway in 1965. The Volksbund completely renovated the site in 1998 and rededicated it in August of the same year.
Opposite the nearby Westwall bunker "Wotan" is an "M24 Chaffee" tank, which was donated by veterans of the 70th US Infantry Division in May 1997 to commemorate the horrors of war. A local association has prepared the bunker for viewing.
The "Spicherer Höhen" plateau has developed into a place of remembrance and international understanding under the name "Franco-German Cultural and Nature Park Spicheren". Franco-German cultural festivals are held every year. Joint memorial services and wreath-laying ceremonies commemorate the dead of both nations.
