Easy Company Foxholes at Bastogne Sold Out - Historian Reacts!

Visited Bastogne last month and was sadly disappointed. The Bastogne War Museum was one of the worst "museums" I have ever been too. Twenty two euros to enter and another five euros to park, what a joke. Then drove over to the Easy Company fox holes only to find no parking spots. Did drive up to Foy and found several interesting things to see. The whole museum, parking, and fenced in fox holes seemed like a cheap tourist trap. That being said, the Bastogne area is really beautiful.

I totally agree with you. Belgium is on my 'bucket list'... from seeing Waterloo, and the WW1 / WW2 battlefields. But following the footsteps of Easy Company (BOB) is right on top. This commercialization is an outrage. That being said I love your content, your videos and your presentation. Keep up the great work!

Absolutely Disgusting!!! 😡

Good rant. Couldn't agree more!

Sorry this happened, I totally agree with you. I am from Belgium so it is easy to visit those battlefield places also in France etc. Last time I visited Bois Jacques there was no fence and we could visit the forest without any problems. I done almost 40 years of service in the army, also in Germany and done some tours overseas. This is not the way of paying your respect to the men that gave there life to free our country.

WHAT THE FUCK!! This has to be a damn joke!! You know me by now, I’ve been in that forest many times while stationed in Baumholder in 2002-07 and this has to be the dumbest thing I’ve seen so far! What’s next? Maybe we have to pay a fee to piss on a tree now? I hope some idiot that works at the museum sees my comment, I spent 6 years in the 2/502nd, 101st and appreciate my units history so are they going to fence up the perimeter my Battalion held during the war?! Those bastards need to pull their head out of their asses, I’m writing to this so called museum
SFC DeVos,
Infantry, Retired.

Update.
I sent a heated email to the museum as professional as I possibly could muster and I’ll spread the word to other retired Senior NCO’s who also participated in events in Bastogne with me as well as other groups in Germany and the Netherlands, they’ll spread it to the various WWII Military Vehicle Clubs in the Netherlands so they know what’s waiting for them if they’re thinking about going to Bastogne, this will really affect their decision making process about participating. And remember, the Military Vehicles are the PRIMARY ATTRACTION for other people to come watch the events in Bastogne. So if 50% of the privately owned Military Vehicles/Tanks decide to stay home from now on and participate in other locations, that’s something that museum will have to deal with. I encourage people to send email messages to the Bastogne welcome center and any city government officials they can find. It’s likely that some group that owns a chain of museums in Western Europe is just functioning like a large corporation with no concern for the impact of their stupid decisions.
I wonder if these rocket scientists realize that nearly every WWII reenactor that comes to Bastogne carries a tool that can easily cut that fence? We use it to cut barbed wire so it should be fun watching them to try and identify the culprit wearing a WWII uniform….lol.

Real cheesy. Nicht wahr,Hugo!

I've been to Bastogne and its surrounding areas a couple of times now, visited the museum in 2019, back then no parking fees, no mention of the gated Bois Jacques, sadly I've ran out of time to actually see the foxholes. Last year, I returned to see the Bois Jacques only to learn about that disgusting news, absolutely shocked!

I agree!

Totally agree

It’s wrong

100% agree!! What’s next, admission fee to cemeteries? Greed is a terrible thing? I’ll be skipping that place on my upcoming trip!!🇺🇸

The "Band of Brothers" effect; commercialising this piece of woodland where as you say little actual fighting took place compared to elsewhere.

It's the way things are turning out all round yes it's disgusting to put a price on the younger generations right to view what so many fought and died for and thats our freedom of choice what a sad state of affairs the world is going down

Highly disrespectful and totally unethical to see such commercialisation at its worst! 😩

To go in pay tribute to my fellow countrymen and be charged is a traversity I have no problem with donations being solicited But not charged to pay my respect. There's other places besides cemeteries you pay a respect... Thank you for keeping my fellow countrymen's legacy alive...

I didn’t know this. I was planning on running a motorcycle tour back to the Ardennes next year. Like yourself I’ve been before and know of plenty of other foxholes to visit but unfortunately because of BOB the importance of the Bois Jaques has come to the attention of corporate money making machine and destroyed the simplicity of finding these places as were left (even though as you said it’s been picked over by treasure hunters!) Guess I’ll have to rethink my plans. 😢

I was stationed in Germany from 1975 to 1978. I visited Bastogne in 1977 with my family while on vacation. The museum was great back then. When the locals found out I was active duty US Army they would not let me pay for anything. How times have changed!

The True admission for those woods has already been paid via the sacrifices of the soldiers that endured that brutal winter and fighting. 100% disrespectful and furthermore the museum has erected a barrier that will result in less people wanting to visit the historic area. I visited the foxholes prior and am deeply saddened to see what it has become. Tear down this absurdity and allow those that want to roam and, pay tribute as they freely should.

Unbelievable. How greedy! I have been there at least 10 times since about 2002. Was there in 2016 when the show's actors were in town for reunion events. Got them to sign my BoB hard shell DVD case. One of the first times there, I drove my 4x4 up the old railroad track path before they turned it into a walking path and found the lane where Hoobler shot the German on the horse. I hope they lose their ass on this venture. Been to the museum quite a few times too. No more.

Hello
First, say that I have been to Normandy three times and I have seen, if not everything, almost everything in the landing lands. In 2021 I went to the Bastogne area for the first time and my biggest disappointment was the museum. First, they charge you for parking the car¡¡¡¡, and the best of all was what you say that they charge you to see the forest of jacks where the trenches are and now it is still a forest, with history but forest that seemed very bad to me.
What I think you are not saying is that you buy the ticket at the museum but if you want to see the forest of jacks you have to pay another ticket, it is not included with the ticket to the museum, with which you get to pay for the parking of the car, the entrance to the museum and the entrance to the forest of jacks¡¡¡¡¡¡
Wouldn't it be better to pay a ticket and see everything?
That doesn't seem right to me at all and it's pure and hard business, but as you well say everything takes that path when they charge you for everything, and be careful charging admission to a museum because you have to maintain it, there are expenses.....but one forest area?
It would be necessary to ask the city council to whom that area of forest belongs, because it would have to belong to the Belgian government due to the historical events that occurred there, the same thing that happens with the American cemeteries that belong to the United States and the country where they are has ceded the land, and even so it does not occur to them that they charge admission to enter the cemeteries and what is more! There is no souvenir shop in any of them, something that seems very appropriate to me since this is how respect is maintained for those who fought so that now we are as we are
Lastly, as you say, I really liked the video, I don't think they'll change it, rather I think they'll expand it to other places... a shame

Charging a fee to visit land that blood was shed to liberate the country the land is located, is pure pathetic and sickening. Would love to know what living memebers of the divisions who fought there feel about this. Disgusting 😢

I agree. I have never been to France and the many locations associated with Normandy landings. Remembering men that gave their lives for the freedom of France is very important. But making it overly commeralised is wrong. Charging an entrance fee is done to pay for everything the museum provides. Maybe its a French thing, I am not sure. The average visitor would not really understand the significance of the fox-holes. The dreadful winter that the Air-bourne division spent and trying to take Foy and Bastogne back for the French people should be remembered for the huge achievement it was. Visiting battle field sites should be free for all not just vai an admission ticket. Sad situation.

They're also probably doing it to limit the number of people walking around in the woods. Large numbers of people will eventually ruin what is there if not controlled in some way.

IO agree with you, 100%. This has become a terrible way of recognizing the sacrifices of the soldiers.

sooooo sad ........ 😒

It IS disgusting!!

This is the kind of BS I thought we only had here in the US.

Hopefully not a sign of things to come!

This is disgusting, I visited a few years ago and like yourself, wondered around freely and felt the place as it should be felt. Making money from other peoples sacrifices 😡

An excellent and honest video....100% agree with you

LMAO. Beyond belief. I wonder who these Dbag are.

That's so sad...and greedy!! I'm sure these veterans would be disgusted!!🤬🤬😭😭

Very sad as I hoped to go there one day.

Absolutely disgusting.. i actually can't believe it, If there were any veterans left that fought in that area would they refuse them entry until they paid ?? Thousands of lives were lost and yet they are profiteering from so much sacrifice and suffering, what is going on in the world when we have to pay to see where our relatives fought and died for our FREEDOM !!! 😢😢

Will they charge us to visit war memorials next?

This is blood money. Making money with the memory of those who gave their life for the freedom of these crooks.

Commercial bullshit the memorialmuseum is also not the best museum to visit earning money over what happened here during the war is kind of a sick thing to do btw if you want to see a real museum i suggest you should visit Le Mess zero 22 out

I last went to the Bois about 20 years ago and it was a touching experience, i wouldnt bother now. Just been to Normandy last week after a few years and wtf has happened there?! Its become Paratrooper Theme Park. Theres a museum on every corner and theyve ruined Ste Mere Eglise. The first time i went, i think there were 4 museums in Normandy, Arromanche, Verville, Utah and the Airborne museum at Ste Mere Eglise, now its far too commercial, and im guessing its down to the success of Ryan and Band Of Brothers, everyone wants to cash in. I dont think i'll bother again.

Absolutely frickin correct, this is a travesty, all the monuments were erected to allow folk of the time to say thank you for giving all you had to give to liberate us from tyranny. Also to act as a warning to new generations that shit happens if you don't stand up to bully boys. No payment was expected and non should be extorted now by folk with no moral compass. Just saying.

So happy you made this i was horrified to i come there nearly every years sinds 2015 😢 i hope we al can tear down this idioot shit. I heard in normandie this is gonne happen to

It amazes me how the Country's that were defeated under the jackboot ended up with most of the history and equipment such as tanks trucks guns and weapons that includes the Jersey islands UK ruled and they all want to charge us to see were our soldiers fought and died for their freedom they are nothing but money grabbing mercenary's

I agree with everything you said. I believe in voting with my feet.

Always wanted to visit, but it's a NO from me..., happy to visit the area, although I won't be paying to go in there. Vote with your feet!

That make me mad , soldiers died for use

I agree with you as an ex soldier it is disrespectful to all those who gave there lives to free them from the germans

Very untasteful to reenact on a battlefield, which it is, I agree with all you say!

This feels a very distastefully and heavy handed approach to preserve this area. I visited the foxholes in the tree line overlooking Foy in 2010 and we were the only people there and extremely careful to be respectful of the ground around us and of those veterans who had sheltered there and I am surprised other history tourists would in general behave any differently. It feels wrong to have turned the place into a controlled zone, the cost of creating such infrastructure is surely the reason the ticket prices are what they are and completely unnecessary and an overkill. Honte a toi.

Ironically the Germans did a fantastic job with the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. Well marked trails and monuments to both sides. This is ridiculous though. They'll probably make a few dollars but no returning customers.

I am completely shocked by this! We were there in 2020 and wandered around the woods for quite a while. I was able to imagine to some degree what it might have been like (of course without the freezing temperatures, starvation, Germans shooting and shelling!). I think is truly staggering and cant believe that it has been allowed. Can you imagine what Dick Winters and the others would have thought, turning up for a reunion and having to pay to get in to the forest! What are they going to do next, put a fence and toll road around Foy??