A tank for a bottle of cognac?
This German “Königstiger II” was abandoned in the Belgian Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge (that started 75 years ago, in December 1944). Normally he would have been taken to be scrapped shortly after the war, but a woman from the village La Gleize (Jenny Geenen-Dewez, wife of a local inn-keeper) proposed the Americans who transported the Königstiger, to exchange the tank for a bottle of (French) cognac and ... they agreed! Believe it or not, this is a true story!
In 2015 the tank was repainted in its original colours. He is one of the 5 surviving tanks of this type in Europe.
http://www.december44.com/en/history_battle_of_the_bulgela_gleize.htm

#LocalSecrets #History

The Königstiger II had 185 mm armour on the front of the cupola and was equipped with the famous 88 mm cannon. This cannon was one of the strongest cannons from WW II and could pierce the front armour of most Allied tanks (such as the T-34 and the M4 Sherman) up to a distance of 1500 metres. The range of the cannon was 10 kilometres.

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Van der Valk Hotel Spa

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"Great location, great bar area and sauna with roof terrace."

Hotel Verviers Van der Valk

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"Was woken up at 5am by a boy racer in the adjoining car park doing doughnuts for 15mins. The room was large but very poorly designed. We arrived on a Friday evening and the outside dining was excellent with music and a great vibe. The surrounding area lacked charm but we managed to find a nice coffee shop and a chocolate museum. Hotel had a swimming pool which I wished I had used but was not well advertised. Overall, I would recommend the hotel. "

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