Rocherath-Krinkelt

Hedges are an essential part of the landscape around Rocherath and Krinkelt. This panorama board provides important background information on this. The listening tour 'Hydroelectric power, smuggling and the Ardennes offensive' takes you past this viewpoint.

The landscape frame 'hedge views' invites you to take a look at these very special elements of the Belgian Eifel – the typical hedge landscapes. The two nesting boxes symbolise the protection of endangered species like the tree sparrow.

The idyllic village of Wirtzfeld lies on the Holzwarche at 580-610 m above sea level, and is not far from Bütgenbach Lake. Picturesque hollow ways with avenues of mature trees give character to the outskirts of the village. 

In the 16th century, today's late Gothic building was built on to the older tower, apparently in place of another edifice that had preceded it. In the 18th century, the Gothic pointed arch windows were transformed into round arches in accordance with the tastes of the times. The entire interior was fitted out with baroque furnishings. The nave is topped off by a remarkable Gothic reticulated vault. The numerous keystones are an expression of local folklore handicraft. Depictions of a crucifix, an angel at prayer, St. Jacob the Elder in his pilgrim's robe, and several flowers can all be recognised here. The remarkably large keystones of the choir form a contrast to those of the nave in the way they are decorated. The interpretation of the two depictions is unclear. The group of the Virgin and Child with St. Anne, dating from the 15th century, is a jewel of Gothic woodcarving. This Cologne work depicts the Wirtzfeld parish patron Anne with her daughter Maria and grandson Jesus. The group is mounted in a neo-Gothic niche. St. Apollonia St. Apollonia died a martyr's death in 249. The story of her life has two versions. During a violent attack on the Christians, Apollonia was assaulted by a crowd in spite of her irreproachable moral conduct. When she refused to make a sacrifice to the gods, she was struck on the cheek with stones until her teeth fell out. According to another version, an executioner pulled her teeth out one after the other with a pair of pliers. Apart from the martyr's palm and a book, she can also be recognised by her main attribute, a pair of pliers with a tooth. People call on her when they are suffering from toothache.   The organ was installed in 1970 by the Merkstein Organ Builders' Association of St. Willibrord (D). It comprises a great organ, a positive organ and a pedalboard with a total of 14 organ stops.

Bütgenbach Lake, with an area of 120 hectares (300 acres), is the hub of a typical Eifel landscape, surrounded by unadulterated nature, extensive woods, large green stretches and conservation areas. On the shore, there is the Worriken Sports and Leisure Centre with its multi-active leisure amenities, including the holiday village and campsite, a wide range of sports and water sports, a climbing park, the VENNtastic Beach (with 8,000 m2 of bathing beach), a bathing area of 2000 m2 with lifeguards, islands for sunbathing, a trampoline (7 m) and an iceberg to climb on as well (5 m).

Clipped and cut hedges Clipped hedges are between 1.20 m and 2 m high and seldom thicker than 30 cm. They need to be cut back each year. Those that are not cut annually are thicker and bushier. The main type of undergrowth is whitethorn. It flowers at the beginning of May, mainly on branches that have not been clipped. Hedges with hedgerow trees Mainly common beech. At more or less regular intervals, a tree is allowed to grow through the hedge. Another variant is whitethorn hedges with beech trees that are allowed to grow up through them. Hedges for the protection of housing Up to 8 m high and 1 m thick. House protection hedges, mostly beech, have served as protection against wind and weather especially in the more elevated Eifel villages.

Apart from their original function as boundaries, hedges also have other kinds of significance: they influence the micro-climate, provide the livestock with protection against sun, rain and wind – in cold winds there can be a temperature difference of up to 5 degrees Celsius behind them – and they inhibit soil erosion with their roots. A strong network of hedges and trees contributes to the conservation of indigenous plant and animal species, and it gives the landscape structure and diversity. Hedges provide habitat, shelter and food, and they are important traffic corridors for animals such as the hare and the fox. Various different fungi and wild herbs find ideal living conditions at the foot of a hedge.

This village, which consists of the districts of Rocherath and Krinkelt, is the highest in Belgium, at 650 m above sea level. From north-west to east, it is surrounded by large wooded areas. Rocherath-Krinkelt is part of the German-Belgian High Fens - Eifel nature park, the valleys of which, for example that of the Holzwarche, are designated conservation areas. In the spring, thousands of wild daffodils flower here

After the large neo-Gothic church dating from 1907 had been completely destroyed by the severe front-line battles of 1944-45, a new place of worship was erected in 1953. When you look at the parish church from outside, you immediately recognise the influence of Italian architecture: first, for example, the campanile or free-standing bell tower, the many small round-arched windows in the facade and the tower and, at the main entrance, the large arcades with small arcades above them (a design which reminds of ancient Roman aqueducts). The giant stone sculpture above the main entrance, which depicts the church patron John the Baptist, was chiselled on location from a single piece of stone. The large wall painting in the chancel depicts Christ, crucified, on Mount Calvary. Mary, his mother, and the disciple John stand beneath the cross. However, this picture is also a depiction of the Last Judgement: on the right of the cross, the people who have done good (among them Pope Pius XII), and on the left, the powers of evil: war, national socialism (led by a warlord on horseback) and communism. This picture is a reference from the post-war era, from the time of the Cold War. All the ceramic works in the interior of the church (way of the cross, side altars, main altar, preaching stool, tabernacle, font, candelabras for the Easter candles) are early works by the young Belgian artist André Pirlot.   The church windows were made according to designs by the Raeren artist André Blank. It was his intention that those who came to the church should be led out of the darkness and into the light by the play of light and colours. That is why the windows get lighter and lighter the further you proceed into the church.

  Second World War memorial Rocherath, in the direction of Wahlerscheid. The way to the memorial of the Second World War is signposted. Tour with information panels. The section of woodland known as the 'Hasselpath' and the nearby villages of Rocherath and Krinkelt were regarded as a crucial link in the Ardennes offensive. There were fierce battles between German and American troops here in December 1944. The troops based in this woodland area included the 99th US Infantry Division, a unit with 10,000 young, inexperienced soldiers. The other units referred to them as 'battle babies'. On a short 800-m hiking trail, which leads into the wood on the left 100 m after the information panel, nine information panels paint a vivid picture of the trenches in which the soldiers took cover with their machine guns and mortars. Trenches and the remains of bunkers, combat areas and field hospitals still bear witness today to the events of that time.