Richard Brookins 28th Infantry Division –“St. Nick” Memorial
Details:
On the east side (Castle side) of Rue du Château on the roadside next to the 28th Infantry Division monument.
MonumentThe monument remembers a soldier of the 28th Infantry Division, Richard Brookins, who dressed as “St. Nick” on December 5, 1944, bringing back a holiday tradition to the town of Wiltz. The parade of St. Nick was organized by another 28th Division soldier, Harry Stutz who convinced Brookins to serve as St. Nick.
The episode is has been made into a movie and a book: “The American St. Nick”
From Luxembourg in WW2 Website offers a bit more on this topic:
World War II: Luxembourg--The American Santa (December 5, 1944)
The 28th Infantry Division (Pennsylvania National Guard known as the Keystone Division) had relieved American units fighting in the Huertgen Forest. They sustained heavy casualties and pulled out of the fight to regroup and rest in Wiltz, a small town in norther Luxembourg. The people there after 4 years of NAZI occupation had very little. They had not been able to celebrate Christmas in their traditional way meaning St. Nicolas Day. St Nicholas was known as De Kleeschen. The Germans were engaged in a Germanization effort and there was no room for De Kleeschen. After reaching Wiltz and noticing the sad state of the own, Corporal Harry Stutz, who was Jewish, told his chum, Corporal Richard Brookins, "I think we should give this town a Christmas party. A St. Nicholas Day. For hundreds of years here in Wiltz, they had a celebration on the fifth of December, the eve of St. Nicholas Day. A man dressed as St. Nick paraded through the town and gave candy to the kids. Kids here haven't celebrated St. Nicholas Day for nearly five years because of the war. Some of them have never seen St. Nick at all." Harry contacted the local priest, Father Wolffe, who invited all the towns people. The soldiers donated candy and chocolate from their rations and even some of their gifts from home. For many of the children it was the first chocolate they ever tasted. The field kitchen baked donuts and bake cakes for the party. Just who would be St. Nicholas? Harry already knew. "You, Dick! You're tall, like Father Wolffe. You can wear his fancy robes and a bishop's hat." Brookings wasn't so sure he never envisioned himself as Santa. "You've got to do it for the kids of Wiltz," Harry insisted. So Brookinns agreed to be De Kleeschen. And on the afternoon of December 5th, Brookins was taken up to Wiltz Castle which housed a convent school. Nuns giggled as they helped him dress in Father Wolffe's vestments—cassock, complete with a surplice, flowing cape with two darlong little girld dressed in white and with angle wings held for him. A rope beard tied on with a ribbon and topped by a bishop's miter completed the costume. He then was taken in a GI jeep to the town's schools. The children were enchanted. [Lion] You can see that in their faces in the film that was taken. They presented skits and songs to De Kleeschen. Less than 2 weeks latter Hitler launched The Bulge offensive. Stutz managed to evade the Germans as did Brookins. Both survived the war and thought their Christmas event was just a pleasant interlude and long forgotten. But not in Wirtz. It became an annual Christmas tradition. And eventually the people of Wirtz began inviting Brookins back to celebrate with them -- the American De Kleeschen (1970s). The now grown-up children of Wiltz began sharing with Brookins their war memories of his appearance during the War. The town continues to celebrate it to this day.
Monument Text:
The text on the plaque is written in English and French. The English text reads:
1944 - 2009
to Richard Brookins, the American GI of the 28th Infantry Division,
honorary citizen of Wiltz, honorary member of the Oeuvre Saint Nicolas Wiltz
St. Nick for the children of our town, in December 1944
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
28th Infantry Division
3rd US Army
Wars:
WWII
Other images :
