The TRUE story of one WWII soldier's selfless act of valor
that one town never forgot.
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In the small, farming town of Eschweiler, Luxembourg sits the only church in the world dedicated to the memory of a single, American soldier.
That soldier was George Mergenthaler.
THIS is his true story.
-Xavier Bettel
Luxembourg Prime Minister
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"The story of George’s life is full of great humanity and solidarity. In the end of 1944 Merg and his American colleagues quickly became a close part of the village Eschweiler, before he lost his life for our home country. This example of a close American-Luxembourgish friendship should serve as an example of camaraderie, friendship and solidarity even now, 75 years after the end of WW II."
-Marcus Brotherton
New York Times bestselling author of "We Who Are Alive & Remain", "A Company of Heroes", and "Shifty’s War"
“A powerful and profound book, a must-read for enthusiasts of history and military nonfiction, "MERG" is a story of selflessness and heroism, the story of a remarkable buck private who loved a town, and the town that loved him back.”
-Roger Moorhouse
Historian; author of
"Berlin at War"
"A memorable and poignant micro-narrative from World War Two... a hugely moving story, elegantly told."
-Kevin Corke
“A sweeping and inspiring true story of honor, bravery and sacrifice that endures to this very day. A powerful must read."
White House Correspondent
-Jim Parisi
PowerTalk Media
"...a unique combination of journalistic accuracy and a novelist's flair. In "MERG", the reader gets caught up in the excitement of the constant reminder that this story is REAL, not a tale woven by old timers sitting on a bench. You will be smarter for reading "MERG", and better still, somehow emotionally enriched. Great Work!"
upcoming events
SUMMER 2021
GERMAN EDITION
On November 17th 1944, at the height of WWII,
George Mergenthaler, an only son and heir to a family fortune, arrived into the small war torn town of Eschweiler, Luxembourg.
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A soldier with the 28th Cavalry Recon Troop, George and the rest of the Recon Troop lived amongst the townspeople for the next four weeks, sharing their homes, their meals, their holidays, their hopes and dreams...becoming family.
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In mid-December, the German army launched a surprise attack through the Ardennes Forest. The Battle of the Bulge had begun. Two days after the attack began, the town was nearly surrounded by the swift moving German assault. The GIs were forced to withdraw from Eschweiler on December 18th in a move that would forever change the town and the lives of the people who lived there.
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-George Luz Jr.
Founder & CEO, the George Luz Management Group; son of “Band of Brothers” veteran George Luz, Sr.
"My father told me a lot about the helpful people he met in the small European villages he encountered during WWII. In this excellent book, "MERG", bestselling author Peter Lion brings to life what George Mergenthaler did to help complete strangers—and what they did to help him—in a time when the world so desperately needed HEROES! For all those who believe in the resilience and benevolence of mankind, this is a story to be told."
-Steve Matchett
Author & Television Broadcaster
"...an account of the outstanding bravery of one man when thrown amid the engulfing turmoil of the European theater of operations of the second world war. The book is intricately researched - an absolute necessity when dealing with this subject matter - and the resulting text is extremely well written, its narrative equal parts engaging and informative."
