Below is an excerpt from the newsletter explaining how a group of WW II veterans brought Christmas to a village in Luxenbourg.
Below left: The cover of American St. Nick Below right: Peter Lyon.
American St. Nick: A True Story, recounts how, during the chaos of World War II, a handful of American soldiers helped bring the Christmas spirit back to the children of war-weary Wiltz, Luxembourg.
Soldiers of the U.S. 28th Infantry Division realize that although the town has been liberated after nearly five years of Nazi occupation, the ravages of war have left the townspeople with nothing to celebrate the season. For the children, it will be especially bleak without the hope of candies, treats or gifts on the normally town-wide celebration of St. Nicolas Day. Days later, the Battle of the Bulge erupts, and Wiltz is over-run. Much of the town is damaged or destroyed. The joy of that one St. Nicolas Day was gone...but not forgotten.
Following the war Wiltz rebuilt and those who survived vowed never to forget the kindness and generosity of those few American soldiers that one St. Nicolas Day. From then on, to honor those soldiers, the Wiltz St. Nicolas Day celebration would include a new tradition: someone would dress not as St. Nicolas, but rather as the American St. Nicolas and recreate his 1944 Jeep ride through town and party after. The tradition has continued more than seven decades.
Peter's website contains many photos as well as a film of the event and is located at:
https://www.americanstnick.com/
Peter's website contains many photos as well as a film of the event and is located at:
https://www.americanstnick.com/
Photo below: Driving through Wiltz, Luxembourg, December 5th, 1944.
Photo above: The party for the children inside the Wiltz Castle, Luxembourg—December 5th 1944.
Below is the newsletter for the November, 2017 WW II Veterans Discussion Group-
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