Next to the town war memorial.

Plaque

A rectangular transparent plaque standing on a metal base honoring the role of the 3rd Infantry Division in the liberation of this area of Alsace on November 25, 1944. It features the insignia of the 3rd Infantry Division and the coat of arms of Schirmeck. The text is presented in both English and French and was inaugurated on February 1, 2010. The plaque was replaced at the request of the "Society of the 3rd Infantry Division" in the U.S.

On November 25, 1944, the town of Schirmeck, located in the Vosges Mountains of Alsace, was liberated by the 3rd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. This event occurred during the broader Allied campaign to retake Alsace from German occupation as part of the final offensives of World War II.

Schirmeck had been a critical point for the Germans, given its location near the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp and its importance in maintaining communication lines between German forces entrenched in the Vosges region. The 3rd Infantry Division, fighting through cold, harsh weather and difficult terrain, was tasked with liberating the town as part of their advance through the Vosges.

The battle for Schirmeck was part of a larger series of operations to clear German forces from the region and pave the way for the liberation of Strasbourg. Fighting in the dense forests and rugged mountains made this a particularly challenging campaign. Nonetheless, the 3rd Infantry Division, known for its combat experience from earlier campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, overcame these difficulties. After pushing the Germans out, the town was officially liberated, marking an important milestone in the liberation of Alsace.

Source of information: www.armydivs.com, en.wikipedia.org

Source of photo: www.memorialgenweb.org

Libéré le 25 Novembre 1944 par les soldats de la 3e Division 

d'Infanterie de l'Armée américaine dans la Bataille d'Alsace 

au cours de la 2e guerre mondiale

Plaque commémorative inaugurée le: 01/02/2010

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LIBERATED BY THE SOLDIERS OF THE 3rd 

INFANTRY DIVISION ON 25 NOVEMBER 1944 DURING 

THE BATTLE TO LIBERATE ALSACE IN WWII

Commemorative plaque inaugurated on 01/02/2010

THE ROCK OF MARNE