[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”151px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||6px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title title=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ meta_font=”|700||on|||||” meta_text_color=”gcid-1ba3a96e-9d31-4f54-aae7-420968453e89″ meta_font_size=”12px” meta_letter_spacing=”1px” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-1ba3a96e-9d31-4f54-aae7-420968453e89%22:%91%22meta_text_color%22%93}” custom_margin=”||8px|||”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ title_font=”Montserrat|700|||||||” title_font_size=”50px” title_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”||-16px|||” title_font_size_tablet=”50px” title_font_size_phone=”24px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font_size=”19px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding=”7px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
The end of the Second World War was looming. On February 27, 1945, Allied bomber units flew the final and devastating attack on Mainz, leaving the city in ruins.<\/p>\n
On March 18, 1945, the 90th U.S. Infantry Division (Tough `Ombres) in the XII. Corps as part of the 3rd U.S. Army under the command of Tank General George S. Patton advanced through Rheinhessen toward the Rhine.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/doku-harxheim.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/CHR-WAR-04-B1-b-Zeichern-der-90.-US-Infantry-Division.jpg” title_text=”CHR WAR 04 B1 b Drawings of the 90th US Infantry Division” show_in_lightbox=”on” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” transform_translate=”82px|1px” width=”78%” module_alignment=”center” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”13px” custom_margin=”26px||-1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
TO meant Tough ‘Ombres and was the mark of the 90th U.S. Infantry Division. The letters also stood for Texas and Oklahoma, the U.S. home states of many of the division’s members.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”8px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Image source: Archive Heinz Leiwig<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/doku-harxheim.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/CHR-WAR-04-B2-Memorial-der-90.-US-Infaterie-Division-scaled.jpg” title_text=”CHR WAR 04 B2 Memorial of the 90th US Infantry Division” show_in_lightbox=”on” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”37%” module_alignment=”center” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”13px” custom_margin=”26px||-1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Memorial of the 90th U.S. Infantry Division in Normandy at the Utah Beach landing section.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”8px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Image source: Siegfried Sch\u00e4fer<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The 357th, 358th and 359. Infantry Regiment (IR) of this division was ordered to advance toward Mainz. While the 358. IR was moving north of Nieder-Olm towards Mainz, the 359th IR took the road. IR the route via Undenheim, Selzen and Mommenheim. Our neighboring community was considered an important fork in the road to Nackenheim to the Rhine or via Harxheim and Hechtsheim to Mainz.<\/p>\n The 357. IR was initially intended as a reserve unit, but later helped break Hahnheim’s resistance.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”9px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The American regiments carried motorized and armored combat teams (task forces) equipped with Sherman main battle tanks, fighter tanks, half-tracks, and jeeps. Their mission was to liberate village after village from German resistance.<\/p>\n If armored barriers were erected at the entrances to towns or if resistance was expected, division or corps artillery was immediately deployed and the way was cleared without regard to casualties.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/doku-harxheim.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/CHR-WAR-04-B3-US-Halbkettenfahrzeug-scaled.jpg” title_text=”CHR WAR 04 B3 US half-track vehicle” show_in_lightbox=”on” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”54%” module_alignment=”center” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”13px” custom_margin=”26px||-1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n American half-track on the advance in Rheinhessen<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”8px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Image source: Archive Heinz Leiwig<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A strong German anti-aircraft unit fought fierce defensive battles with advancing American troops in and around Hahnheim from March 18 to 20. The fighting claimed seven lives on the German side, and 105 soldiers were taken prisoner by the Americans in the “Hahnheimer Kessel”. On the evening of March 19, the Americans were in Mommenheim. The Spiess, Wagnon, Dye<\/em> and Dragon<\/em> battle groups met here and assembled for the advance that was to take place the next day, advancing via Harxheim to Hechtsheim and via L\u00f6rzweiler to Nackenheim to the Rhine.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n “It was early Tuesday afternoon. The 20th was a clear March day and we were already walking barefoot,” Toni Fritzsch reported, “from the hill of the Protestant church we saw the tanks rolling in from Mommenheim in a cloud of dust. On top of them sat heavily armed colored U.S. soldiers. For us children this was a sensation. We had never seen people with dark skin before.” <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n In accordance with orders, the people of Harxheim had erected an anti-tank barricade on the level of the Protestant church in Gaustra\u00dfe in the days before, using beams and tree trunks cut in the cemetery. Alois Basten, responsible air-raid warden, convinced other Harxheim citizens to join him in clearing the roadblock. He was well aware that this plan could have directly resulted in a death sentence by a court of law.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This decisive action opened a free passage for the approaching Americans (Kampfgruppe Spiess<\/em>) and most likely avoided a direct bombardment of the entrance to the village or the community. As a sign of surrender, the Harxheim farmer Otto Stefan had attached a white sheet to the steeple of the Protestant church in the morning, visible from afar in the direction of Mommenheim. The Americans briskly checked the local streets and various buildings. There was no resistance. Mayor Adam B\u00f6hm was subjected to intense interrogation.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n With this march through, the Second World War was over for the population of Harxheim. One day later, the ground assault on Mainz was launched from the outskirts of the Mainz suburbs. On March 22, 1945 the city was liberated.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/doku-harxheim.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/CHR-WAR-04-B4-General-Patton-in-Undenheim.jpg” title_text=”CHR WAR 04 B4 General Patton in Undenheim” show_in_lightbox=”on” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”13px” custom_margin=”26px||-1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n General G.S. Patton, General of the 3rd U.S. Army, thanked his pioneers in Undenheim on March 26, 1945 for the successful bridge-building near Nierstein.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”8px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Image source: Archive Heinz Leiwig, End of the war in Rheinhessen. Mainz 2016, p.50<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n