C'était le 22 décembre 2001.
Présentation officielle de l'AMBA.

Allocution du Président AMBA M. Roland Gaul

Première commémoration organisée par l'AMBA
à Ouren le dimanche 16 décembre 2001.

Il faut un dé but à tout.

Ainsi l'Association des Musées de la Bataille des Ardennes a organisé sa première commémoration au "Dreilândereck" à Ouren, et on peut affirmer que c'était une réussite. (voir article ci-dessous)
L'AMBA remercie chaleureusement Messieurs les Bourgmestres Rinnen et Eilenbecker de l'excellent accueil qu'ils nous ont réservés.

A l'issu de cette commémoration chaque participant a reçu un certificat d'appréciation, réalisé par M. Yves Claude du musée de Perlé, qui reprend le texte suivant : (en quatre langues)

"En participant à la cérémonie commémorative le 16 décembre 2001 (date d'anniversaire du début de l'offensive de 1944) à Ouren, vous avez contribué à ce que TOUTES les VICTIMES de la Bataille des Ardennes 44/45 ne soient jamais oubliées et que le message de réconciliation se perpétuera parmi les générations futures."

"By attending the December 16, 2001 (anniversary date of the beginning of the 1944 offensive) multinational commemorative ceremony in Ouren, you ensured that ALL VICTIMS of the Battle of the Bulge 44/45 will never be forgotten and that the message of reconciliation will be passed on to future generations"

Ouren/Weiswampach:

The final ceremony on December 16, 2001 – planned and organized by AMBA – in cooperation with the 2 Luxembourg communities of Heinerscheid and Weiswampach, as well as with the regional, tri-national association "Islek without borders", took place at 3:30 p.m. at the three countries’ corner (Luxembourg-Belgium-Germany) at Ouren on the banks of the Our river.

This was a multinational ceremony with American, Belgian, British, German and Luxembourg officials – both civilian and military – participating. According to its bottom line and objective, AMBA had made sure that the 5 nationalities, who 57 years ago were all suffering during the "Bulge", would jointly remember ALL VICTIMS, civilian and military of that conflict, during this special ceremony, attended for the first time also by German officials.

The five flags symbolize AMBA’s key guideline: to remember all victims of the "Bulge"; the American, British and German military casualties, as well as the Belgian and Luxembourg civilians who lost their lives in December 44/January 45.

The key message was to foster the collective memory and the spirit of reconciliation over the war graves of all parts involved in the "Bulge" and to pass it on to future generations.
This philosophy was highlighted in the address by Mayor Camille Eilenbecker of Heinerscheid and in the formal speech by AMBA President Roland Gaul.
Accordingly, AMBA had invited children’s groups from the five nationalities, who after the formal floral tribute at the "European Memorial" by the American, Belgian, British, German and Luxembourg officials enhanced by taps, offered flowers to the icy waters of the Our river.
Altogether, some 30 children stood on the wooded bridge spanning Belgium and Luxembourg on one side with Germany on the other banks and silently dropped flower petals from the bridge into the Our river, which in 1944/45 separated the nations.
This was a powerful message intended to ensure the continuity of jointly remembering among the future generations’ communities.

Children of 5 nationalities offering flowers to all victims of the "Bulge" to the icy waters of the Our river from the bridge at Ouren at the Belgian-Luxembourg-German border on December 16, 2001.

The official part of the ceremony was closed with thoughtful remarks and a prayer by Dean Roemen from Clervaux.

During the formal reception at the Weiswampach community center, hosted by Mayor Henri Rinnen, reference was made to a planned memorial(2002) in honor of a British air crew that died there, when their Lancaster bomber crashed on Weiswampach community territory in 1943.

The following is the address given by AMBA President Roland Gaul on that same occasion:

"Dear honored guests"

We are here today, Belgians, Germans, Luxembourgers to jointly remember with our American and British friends in silence all the civilian and military victims who lost their lives in this region, 57 years ago.

The present European memorial erected by the first member countries, is a keystone of European post war history. It stands for the fundamental idea of peaceful coexistence and cooperation. 60 years ago, however, Europe was shaken by war.

During the initial war years, the Royal Airforce in the skies above often represented the only hope that oppression and terror could not stand forever. Subsequently, it was the United States, who – together with its allies – finally reestablished freedom and peace.

For that reason, today, the 16^th of December – is a day of mutual remembrance of the beginning of the battle of the Bulge, an event of fatal destiny for countless Belgian, German and Luxembourg civilians of this region, as well as for thousands American, British and German soldiers and flyers.

This peaceful region located in the middle of a breathtaking transborder natural reserve, became hell on December 16, 1944 at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge and the Our river valley became identical with suffering, destruction and death.

The 5 nations present today were facing each other one against four. The terrible fights in the surrounding woods and skies above the Ardennes at sub-zero temperatures called for countless victims in vain. To remember them we have gathered today.

This small but dignified commemoration at the three countries’corner at the banks of the Our river carries a powerful symbolic token through the presence of representatives of 5 nationalities. It is by the way the first time that all nations who were involved then are gathered today to jointly dedicate their thoughts in silence to all victims in the context of mutual digestion of history and reconciliation.

History is remembrance in itself. But history can only serve as a lesson or a warning if it is taking into account all parts in a balanced and impartial way. History must not be misused to tear up scarred wounds, but must provide the facts in an objective manner.

As a newly-founded Belgian-Luxembourg Battle of the Bulge museum association, the delegates of AMBA have dedicated to join efforts in the future to keep alive for future generations the memory of a chapter of contemporary history that separated us in the past, in an objective and impartial way. We will not only promote museum cooperation, but we will ensure that our museums will represent a keystone to illustrate the absurdity of way and violence.

It is our duty to pass on this message. For that reason the organizers of today’s ceremony together with the neighboring communities and the association « Islek without borders » thought it a valuable cause to associate children of the 5 nationalities.

Children are the future. It is up to us adults to refer them to the lessons of history and to pass on the values of mutual respect, tolerance and dialogue. For that same reason, ceremonies like this one are important. They provide a valuable stimulation for discussions with their parents, their family members and teachers and thus contribute to the promotion of those prementioned values.

On behalf of AMBA, I would like to thank you all for attending. By your presence you ensure that all the victims of that former tragedy will never be forgotten.

Our special thanks go to the high-ranking guests of the 5 countries who have responded to our call to jointly remember with the children the events of the past. I will not forget to highlight the spontaneous cooperation of the communities of Heinerscheid and Weiswampach as well as the transborder association « Islek without borders » to the organizing of this small but meaningful ceremony.

Here in the three countries’ corner, it was precisely those small communities on both sides of the Our river, who in the aftermath rapidly normalized their relations again that had become disrupted by war and who were the promoters of the spirit of reconciliation, of neighborhood and friendship.

Finally, I would like to thank the children. By their presence, they contributed that remembrance in the joint spirit of transborder friendship, will continue.

Thank you all for being present today.