Mengede Is a storybook old German town. I was staying in an Air B&B that was identical to the center building in the sketch. I found a perfect little restaurant that served a traditional German breakfast with a hard-boiled egg and assorted meats and cheeses. On this morning unfortunately it was raining. I hiked out anyway, to find a spot to sketch. This location has a nice overhang on the building I was sitting in front of.
The Pfarrkirche St. Remigius in Mengede, Dortmund, is a historic Catholic parish church, part of the larger Dortmund parish, known for its prominent Gothic tower and significant local history, serving the Mengede district within the Ruhr Pocket of Germany. It is the oldest building in the city. It was built in built in 1875-76, and expanded in 1901. The church sustained no significant damage during World War II.
Mengede is just a 25-minute ride to the north west of Dortmund Germany. Mengede was occupied by the 75th Infantry division as they were making their way south towards Dortmund.
On April 6, 1945. My father’s 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion jumped off at dawn encountering light resistance initially. My father’s 1st Battalion was delayed by numerous well organized defensive positions which had to be neutralized before the attack could move forward.
Mengede is now part of Dortmund Germany, suffered heavily in WWII as a key Ruhr industrial area, with massive bombing raids destroying its city center, especially in March 1945, leaving much of it in rubble. It’s industrial importance meant widespread infrastructure damage rather than just residential loss, with unexploded bombs still found today
Even after heavy artillery had been dropped on Dortmund, it became apparent that the city was determined to fight on. The 2nd Battalion of the 291st Infantry Division was pinned down by enemy fire which preceded a counter attack by German paratroopers. Allied artillery broke up the dual. On a flank, the 290th Infantry Division with my father’s C-Company cleared several towns (likely including Mengede), then encountered heavy resistance and was forced to dig in for the night.
The German 2nd Parachute Division which had caused so much trouble ever since Normandy France, fought back hard, but the 75th Infantry Division beat off every thrust.