Our story

The American Cemetery is situated along the State Highway Maastricht-Vaals in the Eijsden-Margraten Municipality in the Netherlands. It is one of the biggest cemeteries in the world the only one in The Netherlands. No less than 8,301 American liberators have been buried here. The white marble crosses and David’s stars remind us of the solders -often young- who gave their lives for our freedom during World War ll.

The cemetery receives some 250,000 visitors each year. The way the crosses are placed and the location in a beautifully sloping landscape all add to the special atmosphere of this cemetery.

Slide Background

The names of 1,722 missing army- and air-force servicemen have been engraved in the marble walls of the Square of Honor. A rosette next to a name implies that the mortal remains of the deceased liberator have since then been found.

At the cemetery many of the graves have flowers that were placed by people who have adopted one or more graves and thus want to show their gratitude to the fallen liberators and their next of kin. With regular intervals the carillon plays the American and Dutch national anthems.

All in all a field of honor well worth a visit.

For a more complete historical description of the realization of this cemetery we kindly refer to the publications “Crosses in the Wind” (can be ordered at our own webshop) and “From Farmland to Soldier’s Cemetery” (can be ordered at the www.akkersvanmargraten.nl website.

Slide Background

  • “To think that 70 years later, there are Dutch people who carry on this tradition is just so inspiring. And, for their care of our lost family members and loved ones, we are sincerely grateful.”

    ARTHUR MITCHELL

  • “Let’s remember our heroes.”

    BRIAN MOSER

  • “Americans gave their lives to defeat the Nazis. The Dutch have never forgotten.”

    Front page Washington Post | 25 May 2015
Latest news
27 december 2018
A christmas visit at the American Cemetery in Margraten

On December 23 Dan and son Dylan visited their (grand)uncle Russell Diehl at the American cemetery in Margraten. They requested to…

Read more
23 november 2018
A visit to Washington DC

In September 2018 a delegation of our Foundation, together with the Mergelland Mens Choir travelled to Washington DC to pay our…

Read more
15 juni 2018
Full documentary now available

The full documentary about our adopters community is now available…

Read more