The Tiger II tank from La Gleize is the only tank in the world to remain on the battlefield in 1945. The 69 tons giant is the largest tank used by the Germans in World War II and is roughly still standing where it was left at the time. In front of the rectory of the little village of La Gleize, Belgium.
The Germans lost the Battle of the Bulge at La Gleize. A historic moment with a lot of anecdotes attached to it. One of these is the story of the Royal Tiger, which is said to have been exchanged for a bottle of cognac! Yes... When the Americans came to clean up all the wrecks from the battlefield in 1945, Mrs. Jenny Geenen-Dewez exchanged the tank for a bottle of cognac, the innkeeper's wife has thus preserved the tank for posterity and it is now the showpiece of the museum.
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| Picture by December 44 Museum |
Today the tank stands in front of the former rectory, which then served as a nursing post for Peiper's Waffen SS. Now there is a museum, The December 44 Museum.
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| Picture by December 44 Museum |
The museum faithfully tells the story of the battle and its history and shows visitors one of the most important war collections in Europe. It revives history in a vivid way. But the most unique of the collection is the German Königstiger tank with number 213. You can find more information about The December 44 Museum here.
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