Lommel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Germany and Lommel are funding the WWII German cemetery in Kattenbos. €150,000 from Lommel supports a museum, education, tourism, and catering. Over 39,000 soldiers rest there. Dirk Vanderhoydonks leads locally.
As VRT News reported, Germany is giving money again to the military cemetery in Lommel, but with a new plan. Instead of building a large experience centre, the money will be used for four main things: a museum, educational programs, tourism improvements, and catering services.
According to Dirk Vanderhoydonks, a local official, this new approach is more practical and can last longer. The museum will share historical information and personal stories related to the cemetery, keeping the focus on war and peace.
He mentioned that the educational programs will include workshops, tours, and youth exchanges. Tourism efforts will help visitors access the site more easily and have a better experience. There will be small food services to make it easier for people to stay longer.
He said that this support ensures that Lommel will remain an important place for remembrance, learning, and international discussions. The city of Lommel is also helping out by giving €150,000 to the project.
What will Germany’s €1.5M plan mean for Lommel cemetery?
Germany is asking for more money to help with the military cemetery. They want the province of Limburg to give money too. But the province hasn’t gotten an official request yet, according to Igor Philtjens. The city of Lommel says that the Belgian minister, Annelies Verlinden, will soon ask the province for help.
They hope that Germany, the city, and the province can work together. This would help the cemetery’s education and tourism work for a long time. They mentioned that it would also honour the history of the place and keep people interested.
Germany stopped funding the education program at the Lommel military cemetery. This caused worry about the future of the education centre and the youth hostel there. They mentioned that these places were important for teaching peace and bringing young people together. A local group helped keep things going for a while, but there was no long-term plan. Germany had planned a big, expensive centre at the cemetery.
According to officials, the German war cemetery in Lommel, in Kattenbos, is a special place for remembering World War II in Western Europe. It’s the biggest German war cemetery from that war in the West, covering 16 hectares. Over 39,000 German soldiers who died in Belgium are buried there. Most died in the fighting in 1944 and 1945.
The cemetery started in 1954. The German War Graves Commission, with help from Germany and Belgium, built it. They moved the bodies from smaller graves around Belgium. Now, Lommel is for remembering, thinking, and learning about peace.
