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American St. Nick: A TRUE story of Christmas and WWII that's never been forgotten
The American St. Nick tells the remarkable TRUE story of a handful of American soldiers who during the chaos of war, help bring Christmas back a small Luxembourg town, and unknowingly create a holiday tradition that continues to this very day!
It's December 1944, the Germans are retreating. It appears the war in Europe may be over soon, but not soon enough for members of the battle-worn 28th Infantry Division. Knowing they won't be home again for the Holidays, soldiers from a 112th regiment Signal Company Message Center in the storybook town of Wiltz, 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.
Hearing this, Corporal Harry Stutz gets an idea. He gathers some fellow soldiers and together they organize a Christmas party for the children, a party that will include a special visit from St. Nicolas himself, thanks to a reluctant Corporal Richard Brookins.
Wearing the mass robes of the local priest and a crudely fashioned rope beard to complete the costume, St. Nicolas rides through town on an Army jeep, stopping to meet the children and passing out treats baked by the Army cooks or donated from the soldier's care packages from home. Later the celebration continues with a party for all the children at the Wiltz Castle. It is a wonderful day for the children of Wiltz and for the American soldiers as well.
Ten days later however the Battle of the Bulge erupts in the Ardennes; Wiltz and the 28th Infantry Division are overrun. In the weeks of fighting that followed, most of the town is damaged or destroyed, mostly from Allied bombing. Tragically, some of the townspeople including children were killed. 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. This tradition has continued faithfully for more than seven decades.
An amazing TRUE story of war, honor, luck and love, The American St. Nick is a thrilling and heart-warming holiday classic packed full of incredible details that will amaze, entertain and delight.
It's December 1944, the Germans are retreating. It appears the war in Europe may be over soon, but not soon enough for members of the battle-worn 28th Infantry Division. Knowing they won't be home again for the Holidays, soldiers from a 112th regiment Signal Company Message Center in the storybook town of Wiltz, 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.
Hearing this, Corporal Harry Stutz gets an idea. He gathers some fellow soldiers and together they organize a Christmas party for the children, a party that will include a special visit from St. Nicolas himself, thanks to a reluctant Corporal Richard Brookins.
Wearing the mass robes of the local priest and a crudely fashioned rope beard to complete the costume, St. Nicolas rides through town on an Army jeep, stopping to meet the children and passing out treats baked by the Army cooks or donated from the soldier's care packages from home. Later the celebration continues with a party for all the children at the Wiltz Castle. It is a wonderful day for the children of Wiltz and for the American soldiers as well.
Ten days later however the Battle of the Bulge erupts in the Ardennes; Wiltz and the 28th Infantry Division are overrun. In the weeks of fighting that followed, most of the town is damaged or destroyed, mostly from Allied bombing. Tragically, some of the townspeople including children were killed. 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. This tradition has continued faithfully for more than seven decades.
An amazing TRUE story of war, honor, luck and love, The American St. Nick is a thrilling and heart-warming holiday classic packed full of incredible details that will amaze, entertain and delight.
176 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 20, 2023
Last Christmas I saw a documentary on PBS that told the story of the "American St Nick". I found it to be a moving story about what a group of American G.I.'s did for the children and people of the town and parish of Wiltz in Luxembourg on St Nicholas Day 1944. That documentary was based on this little volume by Peter Lion.
The Nazi occupation of Luxembourg during WW2 meant that the people were forbidden from speaking their own languages, and from practicing their religion. For Catholic Luxembourg, this represented a persecution that also produced martyrs for liberty and for faith. As the Allied Forces, following the D.Day landing in Normandy, pushed the Nazi forces out of Western Europe, many of the soldiers came to know the extent of the oppression inflicted on the people by the Nazis. When in November 1944 members of the American 28th Infantry were posted in Wiltz, a small group began to brainstorm how they could lift up the spirits of their hosts and their children. They learned that in Luxembourg, as in much of Central Europe, the "Holidays" begin with the feast of St Nicholas (or, as the Americans might call him, "St Nick" or "Santa Claus").
In many parts of Central Europe, from the Netherlands through Switzerland and into Northern Italy, the tradition was for St Nicholas to visit the towns riding on horseback or on a donkey, on a sleigh or even in a boat. He brings fruit or candy to the children… all this on the eve of the saint's day, that is, at sun down on 5 December. Members of the 28th Infantry pooled their own meager resources and threw a party, complete with the arrival of St Nicholas who came, not on a donkey, but in a jeep. The young, 22-year-old G.I. whom they drafted into playing the part overcame his confusion and shyness and played the part. With the war still raging, that good-will gesture brought unbelievable joy to children who had never been allowed to speak their own language or to celebrate Christmas. The gesture was never forgotten. In the town of Wiltz to this day the people celebrate both St Nicholas and the American G.I.s who liberated them from the darkness of the Nazis.
Peter Lion reconstructs the events of November and December 1944, as he tells the story of the towns people, the 28th Infantry, the Sisters and Parish Priest who helped them organize, and the gratitude of a town that never forgot that act of charity that re-enkindled their hope for humanity.
Great book! A quick read, but an unforgettable story of what really counts in life.
The Nazi occupation of Luxembourg during WW2 meant that the people were forbidden from speaking their own languages, and from practicing their religion. For Catholic Luxembourg, this represented a persecution that also produced martyrs for liberty and for faith. As the Allied Forces, following the D.Day landing in Normandy, pushed the Nazi forces out of Western Europe, many of the soldiers came to know the extent of the oppression inflicted on the people by the Nazis. When in November 1944 members of the American 28th Infantry were posted in Wiltz, a small group began to brainstorm how they could lift up the spirits of their hosts and their children. They learned that in Luxembourg, as in much of Central Europe, the "Holidays" begin with the feast of St Nicholas (or, as the Americans might call him, "St Nick" or "Santa Claus").
In many parts of Central Europe, from the Netherlands through Switzerland and into Northern Italy, the tradition was for St Nicholas to visit the towns riding on horseback or on a donkey, on a sleigh or even in a boat. He brings fruit or candy to the children… all this on the eve of the saint's day, that is, at sun down on 5 December. Members of the 28th Infantry pooled their own meager resources and threw a party, complete with the arrival of St Nicholas who came, not on a donkey, but in a jeep. The young, 22-year-old G.I. whom they drafted into playing the part overcame his confusion and shyness and played the part. With the war still raging, that good-will gesture brought unbelievable joy to children who had never been allowed to speak their own language or to celebrate Christmas. The gesture was never forgotten. In the town of Wiltz to this day the people celebrate both St Nicholas and the American G.I.s who liberated them from the darkness of the Nazis.
Peter Lion reconstructs the events of November and December 1944, as he tells the story of the towns people, the 28th Infantry, the Sisters and Parish Priest who helped them organize, and the gratitude of a town that never forgot that act of charity that re-enkindled their hope for humanity.
Great book! A quick read, but an unforgettable story of what really counts in life.
February 1, 2020
This was an "okay" book about an incident that occurred near the end of World War 2. It was just one day in the life of the American soldier involved, but it turned into a long-standing tradition for the town where it happened. Other details about the war are included, so if you're into WW2 history, you might want to read this one. I'll admit I skimmed parts of it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews