Land of ordeals
The French general General Edmond Ruby called his stirring book about the city and vicinity „Sedan – Terre d´épreuve.“, Sedan – land of ordeals. In fact, Sedan in the Ardennes is a land of ordeals, because no other place in Europe had to suffer so many battles as “the gate to France”. The region took its name from the ancient Arduenna Silva, a vast forest in Roman times that stretched from the Sambre river in Belgium to the Rhine in Germany. The modern Ardennes covers a much smaller area. Much of it is covered in dense forests, with hills averaging around 350-500 m (1148-1640 ft) in height.The vast forest once stopped the Romans but could not prevent the advance of entire nations. The highly strategic position of the Ardennes has made it a battleground for European powers for centuries. In order to be prepared for the inevitable Antoine de Croy for example decided to re- build the castle fortress of Montcornet and Evrard de la Marck enlarged the fortress of Sedan.
Built around 1424, the fortified castle of Sedan is the largest fortified castle in Europe with a surface area of 35,000 sq m. Enjoying a strategic position on the eastern border of France, it was constantly extended, reinforced and modernised by the all-powerful La Marck family, Dukes of Bouillon and sovereign princes of Sedan.
The town also enjoys a rich industrial past from its textiles and carpet making activities. Surviving architecture from this period includes the Maison des Gros Chiens and the Dijonval which recall the glorious past of the city. Sedan is the only town with "Ville d'Art et d'Histoire" (Town of Art and History) classification in the Ardennes.
Surrounded by a loop of the Semois river, withdrawn in the deep Ardennes forest, Bouillon, small medieval city is dominated by the Castle of Godefroid. Centuries have passed since the edifice was built, but it has preserved majesty and splendour. The famous Belgian town of Bouillon lies close to the French border, deep in the south of the Belgian province of Luxembourg. The castle was once owned by Godfry of Bouillon, leader of the first crusade to Jerusalem in the year 1096. To finance his participation, he sold Bouillon to Orbert, bishop of Liége. For almost six centuries the castle remained property of the Prince-bishops of Liege until they lost it to the Tour d'Avergnes - La Marck family in 1678. The castle had been taken after a 20 day siege by the troops of Louis XIV of France.
The feudal castle has been defined as a group of works built in relation to each other, defended individually but kept united by the idea of a common defence. The advent of artillery deeply modified its feudal aspect. Its adoption of this new weapon, the various transformations made by Vauban, Louis XIV's military architect, and later by the Dutch contributed to its present appearance. It was used for military purposes until 1830.
One of the attractions of the castle today is the annual Falconry Demonstration between the months of April and August called the Ballet de Rapaces. Nocturnal tours through the castle with lighted torch in hand serve as an incredibly memorable experience.
It is no surprise that the military history tour to Sedan will use this great city of Bouillon as its headquarters.
Historical Background
One of the most noteworthy victories of modern times was that won at Sedan by the German army, under King William I of Prussia, over the French, commanded by Napoleon III and his generals, MacMahon and Wimpffen. This event led to the fall of the French Empire and the establishment of the Third Republic. It also marked the culmination of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. While the immediate ostensible cause of this war was the nomination by the Cortes of Prince Leopold, who was related to the Hohenzollerns, as successor to the Spanish throne, the underlying causes were of much greater import. After her triumph over Austria in 1866, Prussia rose to great prominence, and soon she appeared to be supplanting France as the leading State of Continental Europe
Napoleon obtained from King William the withdrawal of Prussia's consent to Leopold's candidacy, but when the Emperor demanded also of the King a promise that never, in any circumstances, should Leopold accept the Spanish crown, William declined to make such an agreement. Napoleon regarded this refusal as a valid excuse for war. But Prussia was equally desirous of a conflict, and the statecraft of Bismarck took the form of subtle intrigue that made the rupture inevitable.
In World War I the German army overran the French lines in August 1914 and occupied Sedan without a major battle. Only in 1918 was Sedan again the objective of a major campaign. This time the American Army spearheaded the Meuse-Argonne offensive and liberated Sedan on 11 November 1918.
At the beginning of the Battle of France in 1940 Sedan again was in the focus of the German Army. But Sedan did not fall without fierce fighting. The Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, executed 10 May 1940, ended the Phony War.
The final plan for Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) had been suggested by General Erich von Manstein, then serving as Chief of Staff to Gerd von Rundstedt, but had been initially rejected by the German General Staff. It proposed a deep penetration further south of the original route, which took advantage of the speed of the unified Panzer divisions to separate and encircle the opposing forces. It had the virtue of being unlikely (from a defensive point of view) as the Ardennes were heavily wooded and implausible as a route for a mechanized invasion.
Army Group A, composed of 45½ divisions including seven armoured commanded by Gerd von Rundstedt, was to deliver the decisive blow, cutting a "Sichelschnitt" ('Sickle Cut'), as Winston Churchill later called it, through the Allied defences in the Ardennes spearheaded by three Panzer corps trying to create the pocket. The mission: penetration of the allied Ardennes front, separate and encircle the opposing forces. On May 10, Panzer Group Kleist with five panzer divisions and 1.222 tanks headed west by using just four roads. On May 13, the Panzer Corps Guderian crossed the river Meuse near Sedan. For the next few years Sedan remained under German occupation, only to be relieved by August 25, 1944.