Links
A list of useful links to informative sites for more information on World War II subject matters.
Foundation of the Commemorationof the American Christmas Celebration 1944
Maastricht, The Netherlands, 24th December 1944, Christmas Eve.
The initiative to the Mass was an idea of the Brothers of the Immaculate Conception, who, by then, were the owners of the cave. They are better known in Maastricht as `The Brothers of the Beyart’. The Mass was celebrated in a cave, called The Schark Cave, in the neighborhood of St. Pieter’s Mountain in Maastricht. Between 250 and 280, mostly very young American soldiers, who stayed in Maastricht and its surroundings, attended this Christmas Celebration Mass in the small cave in the neighborhood of St. Pieter’s Mountain. After the Mass these young soldiers signed with charcoal their signature on the marl wall.
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC)
This Federal public body was created in 1923 by the American Congress. The ABMC is -amongst other things- responsible for commemorating the effort and sacrifices of the American troops as of April 6th, 1917 and for developing, building, managing and maintaining the 24 permanent American cemeteries outside the USA, including Margraten.
American WWII Orphans Network (AWON)
Founded in 1991 with the objective of creating a platform for sons and daughters (and other next of kin) of Americans killed in action during World War 2. Our Adoption Foundation has close ties to the AWON-Organization.
Fallen but not forgotten
http://www.fallennotforgotten.nlMain objective of this website is to pay homage to the many young American soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom and to assure that their stories are not forgotten. The website contains life stories of fallen Americans who are buried in Margraten.
Akkers van Margraten
Here you can find eyewitness stories and information about the construction of the American Cemetery in Margraten as of November 1944. The site has been specifically developed for educational purposes.
Fields of Honor
What began in 2008 with a single soldier has, over more than 15 years, grown into a virtual memorial honoring 45,000 American service members who lost their lives in Europe during World War II. Today, the Fields of Honor Foundation adds a new chapter to this story with the launch of the new Fields of Honor platform, which brings together the former Fields of Honor – Database and the tribute The Faces of Margraten..
The foundation currently commemorates American service members who are buried or memorialized as missing at six cemeteries: Ardennes and Henri-Chapelle (Belgium), Epinal and Lorraine (France), Luxembourg, and Margraten (the Netherlands). In addition, the website also included American service members buried elsewhere in these countries.
Behind every name is a story. With the introduction of the new virtual memorial, these stories are now preserved for the future after the former website had become technologically vulnerable. The new memorial also offers expanded opportunities to share and enrich the collected stories and to support historical and genealogical research.
Liberation Concert
In and around Margraten the memory of the sacrifice and endeavor of the soldiers buried there is very much kept alive. Among other things by organizing a top-level open-air concert on the American Cemetery. A classical concert that suits the unique location and is a worthy tribute to the servicemen whose last resting-place this is.