Easy hikes and walks around Hürtgenwald

Here the Weiße Wehebach originates, which flows north through the Hürtgenwald. Together with the Rote Wehebach and other tributaries, it forms the Wehebach, which is later dammed in the Wehebachtalsperre.

On the way, a memorial stone with a nameplate commemorates the first settlers of Raffelsbrand. It records the names of those who were involved in the construction of the settlement after the Second World War. Today, the stone stands on the edge of the Todtenbruch and thus commemorates the beginnings of the Raffelsbrand settlement and the difficult years of its construction.

The memorial cross commemorates 2nd Lieutenant John Charles Eisenhauer of K Company, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th US Infantry Division. Eisenhauer was mortally wounded on September 27, 1944, during heavy fighting in the Raffelsbrand/Todtenbruch area and was subsequently listed as missing. It was not until April 12, 1948, that forest worker Johann Justen from Zweifall discovered his mortal remains in forest district 157. In May 1948, Eisenhauer was buried in the American military cemetery in Neupré near Liège. The memorial cross today commemorates his fate and the victims of the fighting in Todtenbruch.

The soil nature trail in the Todtenbruch near Hürtgenwald-Raffelsbrand vividly conveys knowledge about the soils and the landscape of the High Fens and its surrounding areas. On the approximately 4-kilometer circular route, several stations provide information about the different soil types and their formation. A special section leads over an approximately 700-meter-long boardwalk through the Todtenbruch moor. Here it becomes clear how peat could form under the wet conditions of the moor and how the landscape was shaped by water and soil. Along the path, exposed soil profiles offer insights into the structure of the different soil layers.

In view of the (in the worst sense of the word 'brand'-)current headlines about the devastating fire in the North Eifel (Hürtgenwald) and the nearby (Belgian) "Hohes Venn", the scale of which has so far reached unimaginable dimensions in the cross-border region, I recommend to nature-interested viewers a film documentary in the ZDF media library: An episode from the series »plan b« – titled "Forest protection in the climate crisis" – illuminates the background to the condition of our native forests and asks urgent questions. The contribution is available online at =>> https://www.zdf.de/play/dokus/plan-b-104/plan-b-waldschutz-in-der-klimakrise-100?staffel=2023

Given the (in the worst sense of the word 'brand') current headlines about the devastating fire in Hürtgenwald (DE) on the one hand, and the neighboring High Fens (BE) on the other, whose extent has so far reached unimaginable dimensions in Germany and Belgium, I recommend a film documentary in the ARD media library. It sheds light on the background and asks the exciting question: 'What comes after the forest fire?' If interested, see =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/auf-spurensuche-oder-ard-wissen/was-kommt-nach-dem-waldbrand/mdr/Y3JpZDovL21kci5kZS9iZWl0cmFnL2Ntcy8yNTU5M2JlZC03MzIwLTRmZmEtYjYzMy1hNmNmMjg5OTJkNzU

A view that you don't get so quickly, except on the Ringstraße between Jägerhausstraße (coming from Zweifall) and Jägerhausstraße (coming from Lammersdorf) and not far from this highlight here.

Here is the inscription on the memorial plaque: 2nd Lieutenant John Charles Eisenhauer 60th U.S. Infantry Regiment, K Company, 9th U.S. Infantry Division. Born March 23, 1917, in New York City. Missing since September 27, 1944, in Raffelsbrand/Todtenbruch. Found on April 12, 1948, in Forest District 157 by forest worker Johann Justen, Zweifall. Burialed in May 1948 at the American Cemetery in Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium. May he rest in peace.