As a child Joel’s parents witnessed the battle at the now heavily scarred town of Vielsalm and shared their stories with their son, who was born in 1975.

Passionate about the  history of the second world war, Joel has roamed the battlefields for more than 30 years and started his guiding business guideardenne44.com in 2016.

‘ I have a deep knowledge about the Battle of the Bulge, Allied and German equipment and vehicles, but also about the 20th century history and the Ardennes physical and human geography. With a group of fellows local battlefields guides and historians, we are continuously improving our knowledge, exploring new sites and sharing historical documentation.’

Joel’s fields of expertise are Bastogne, the Houffalize/Vielsalm/Saint-Vith area,  Kampfgruppe Peiper and the 82nd Airborne Division. Joel guides in English and French.

‘Above all it is the duty of memory that prevails. The sufferings and sacrifices endured by our liberators in a merciless struggle against a criminal ideology, ensured our present freedom. Vigilance is necessary against totalitarian ideologies to preserve our democratic gains.’