‘The American St. Nick’ tells the extraordinary TRUE story of how a handful of American soldiers, during the chaos of war, brought Christmas back to a small Luxembourg town. In doing so, they unwittingly began a tradition that continues to this day. It is December 1944 and the Germans are retreating.
It seems that the war in Europe will soon be over, but this was not soon enough for members of the battle-hardened 28th Infantry Division. The soldiers know that before the holidays will be home.
The soldiers of the 112th Regiment Signal Company Message Center, stationed in Wiltz, realize despite the liberation, the war has destroyed everything. There is nothing left to celebrate the holidays. For the children, it will be especially bleak without the hope of candy, treats or gifts during the normal celebration of St. Nicholas.
Hearing this, Corporal Harry Stutz gets an idea.
He gathers some fellow soldiers and together they organize a Christmas party for the children. The party is honored with a special visit from St. Nicholas himself, thanks to a reluctant Corporal Richard Brookins. St. Nicholas wears the mission vestments of the local priest and a chunky fake beard to complete the costume. He rides through town in an army jeep, stopping to meet the children and to hand out treats. These were baked by the army cooks or donated from the food packets the soldiers received from home.
Later the celebration continues with a party for all the children at Wiltz Castle. It is a wonderful day for the children of Wiltz and also for the American soldiers. Ten days later, however, the Battle of the Bulge begins. Wiltz and the 28th Infantry Division are overrun. During the fighting that followed, most of the town is damaged or destroyed, mostly by Allied bombing.
Tragically, some residents, including some children, were killed. The joy of that one St. Nicholas celebration was over … but not forgotten.
After the war, Wiltz was rebuilt. Those who survived promised never to forget the kindness and generosity of those few American soldiers on St. Nicholas. From then on, in honor of those soldiers, St. Nicholas celebrations in Wiltz would have a new tradition: someone from the town would dress up. Not as St. Nicholas, but rather as the American St. Nicholas. He rode through town in his 1944 army jeep and visited the celebration. In 2019, Wiltz celebrated the 75th anniversary of The American St. Nick. In 2021, the latest edition of this story will be excusively available in the Netherlands and Belgium. With never-before-published photos from the 2019 commemoration. Peter Lion, multiple Emmy Award-winner, follows an American veteran’s 1977 quest and reunion with the original American St. Nick.
