During the winter of 1944–1945, within Belgium’s Ardennes Forest—better known as the launching pad of the Battle of the Bulge—two war crimes were committed.
The better known atrocity, the Malmedy massacre, resulted in the deaths of at least 85 defenseless GIs who had surrendered. They were herded into a snow-covered field near Baugnez and machine-gunned to death. The perpetrators then walked among survivors, calmly shooting them again at point-blank range. This atrocity made worldwide headlines.
One month later, a second, lesser-known mass execution occurred — the Wereth 11 massacre. This tragedy took place in Wereth and involved 11 GIs from the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion, leading to a two-year U.S. Army investigation from February 1945 to February 1947.
The Alabama Connection
The Wereth 11 Massacre involved 11 Black GIs, and this story focuses on two with Alabama ties.
Tech. Sgt. William Pritchett was from Wilcox County, Alabama. Born May 5, 1922, he may never have married but was known to have had a daughter.
Another Alabama serviceman, Private First Class George Davis, was short in stature and lovingly known by his comrades as “Li’l Georgie.” Born in 1922 and drafted in May 1942, Davis carried inspiration with him. Before leaving his home in Bessemer, he took a newspaper picture of Jesse Owens from the 1936 Summer Olympics as motivation.
Refuge at the Langer Farm
Behind enemy lines, the 11 GIs found refuge at the Langer farm.
Thomas Forte, George Davis, and Curtis Adams dug into their pockets for what currency they had to repay the Langers for their hospitality. The Langers refused, saying the soldiers might need the money for the next leg of their journey.
Stewart divided the Chiclets gum he had among the children. Mager Bradley gave his unused bar of Woodbury soap he had received at Camp Gruber.
Betrayal and Capture
As the soldiers prepared to leave, a vehicle approached. Four Germans parked a Volkswagen Type 166 — an amphibious vehicle known as a Schwimmwagen — within yards of the Langers’ front door.
An officer pounded on the door, indicating he knew the 11 soldiers were inside. Since the Americans had been at the Langer house just over an hour, it became apparent that an unknown pro-German neighbor had reported the Black soldiers’ presence to SS troops belonging to Kampfgruppe Hansen of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler.
It appears Tech. Sgt. Stewart may have led the surrender. There was no escape.
The 11 men were removed from the Langer house and held under guard on the road outside as the sun set and temperatures dropped. The SS soldiers questioned the Langers and consumed what remained of the shared meal.
When the Langers expressed concern for the Americans’ welfare, the German officer told them not to worry — soon they would not feel the cold.
At approximately 7 p.m. on December 17, 1944, the Langers’ last view of the Americans was of them running ahead of the Schwimmwagen into the evening darkness.
Execution in the Pasture
Evidence concludes the 11 were taken roughly 900 yards into a cow pasture, far from the eyes of others. Shortly thereafter, residents reported hearing gunfire. Then — silence.
It would be more than a month before their bodies were discovered. By early February 1945, melting snow revealed what had been hidden. Residents of Wereth led advancing American GIs to where the men had lain under snow for nearly two months.
Some locals had seen the bodies as early as December 18 but remained silent, fearing the return of German forces. The SS presence had been so frequent that no one knew who was winning the battle. Many feared the Germans could easily return.
When it became clear that American forces would remain, the Langer children guided a patrol from the 395th Infantry Regiment to the site.
Final Resting Places
Seven of the victims were buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium. The remaining four were returned to their families in the United States for burial after the war.
A Crime Unsolved — A Memory That Should Not Fade
To this day, the crime remains unsolved. It may never be solved.
But now you know a piece of history time forgot.
Let us not allow William Pritchett of Wilcox County and George Davis — “Li’l Georgie” of Bessemer — to be forgotten any longer.
Please contact Kip Price at kipprice1@gmail.com.