Mémorial de la libération
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The stele on the banks of the Moder discharge canal bears witness to March 16, 1945. After the initial liberation of Haguenau in early December 1944, the American 7th Army made a strategic withdrawal. The Germans, for their part, launched a reconquest operation called Nordwind. For almost three months, the town was the focus of new battles, with part of the front line following the course of the Moder and, more specifically, this canal. Haguenau was not definitively liberated until mid-March (16) 1945. That was the day the Americans crossed the flooded canal to definitively repel the Nazi troops.
This stele replaces a first monument inaugurated on July 14, 1947. At the time, it was clearly visible, with a long spike at the top, symbolizing the breaking of enemy lines and the advance of American tanks towards Nazi Germany. In January 1955, the Moder flooded the town once again, and the monument was unable to withstand the storm: it was washed away and destroyed. The two plaques that adorn it were saved and refixed on a more sober support, as seen today. The upper one shows infantrymen advancing under cover of tanks. The star recalls not only the USA and the 7th Army under General Patch, but also Texas, in particular the 36th Infantry Division. The lightning bolts represent the suddenness of the action, while the broken chains evoke liberation.
It was here, in February 1945, that the "Easy Company" of the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army distinguished itself. Its passage through Haguenau was made famous by a mini-series entitled "Band of Brothers", which pays tribute to the courage of the city's liberators.
