SURVIVING THE DEVIL’S CAULDRON​: 

The Enduring “Swaying Virgin” of La Gleize

The late medieval Belgian village of La Gleize had borne a heavy cost during World War II. But the devastation it experienced during the winter of 1944-1945, earned this rural community and the surrounding area the ominous nickname, “The Cauldron.” Throughout the fierce fighting, the village’s revered mid-14th century oak statue of the Virgin Mary, known as the “Swaying Virgin,” miraculously survived, even as the church that had safeguarded it for over six centuries received a direct hit on Christmas Eve 1944.​

This exhibit recounts the story of how “Monuments Man,” Captain Walker K. Hancock, and the people of La Gleize came together to protect this important piece of Belgium’s cultural heritage in the wake of the Battle of the Bulge. Central to the exhibit is an extraordinary hand-carved replica of the “Swaying Virgin,” created by the talented Belgian sculptor, Michel Gérard. This statue will soon be part of a future Monuments Men exhibit at the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum.​

Finally, this exhibit brings to light the work of the U.S. Army’s 21st-century “Monuments Men and Women,” serving as Heritage and Preservation Officers in the U.S. Army Reserve, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne).