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From Alsace we headed to Lorraine as we searched for more historical sites. This region is rich with them. It is also rich with beautiful natural beauty and lots of cultural diversity since this region, along with Alsace, had been annexed by Germany several times as way back as the Franco-Prussian War of the late 1800's.
We actually met a man who told us a story about his experience meeting General Patton when he was only 17 years old. "Roger", who spoke French, German, and English like many in the region, said that he almost was sent to fight for the Germans during World War II since Thionville (the town he was from) was in German territory at the time. But Patton and his men liberated the town and he was able to stay out of the war. The irony is, that once liberated, Patton had to liberate them again, but this time from the French, who were accusing many of the German-speaking Lorraine residents of being German collaborators.
Roger said he never felt truly French or truly German. He, like many in the region, never felt accepted by the Germans or the French. He was so awestruck by Patton and the American soldiers who stood for liberty, that he decided that he was also, in his heart, an American. His friends still call him, "Roger, the American" and he is proud to be "an American" and thanks every American he meets for what America did for him and his countrymen during the darkest days of the war.
Many people in Lorraine feel the same, and even in today's world where one sees some anti-American sentiments, and where some people think that France is anti-American due to current happens in the Middle East, the people of Lorraine go out of their way, after 60 years, to express gratitude for what was done for them by the United States of America.
While in Lorraine, we stayed in the city of Metz and we took several side trips by train to the towns of Thionville (where we saw a couple of Maginot Line forts) and Nancy, where we saw the newly refurbished City Hall Plaza with its gorgeous wrought-iron gates.
We were so close to the country of Luxembourg that we had to take a side trip to Luxembourg City to see another very important site, the American National Cemetery in Luxembourg, where General Patton lies, facing his soldiers. It is truly a site to behold, seeing his soldiers and him, in mutual and perpetual salute.
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