Inaugration of the War Memorial on the Penideralm
above St. Leonhard near Brixen, Südtirol, Italy - August 16, 1998
(organized and arranged by Andreas Piok, researched by Keith M. Bullock)

These pictured monuments are near Bressanone (Brixen) in Southtirol, Northern Italy. These are two of the many monuments existing or being in planning stage throughout Europe and dedicated to the American Soldier and Airmen who gave their lives for Universal Freedom. Many persons had a hand in their conception, design and construction.Two men stand out in this endeavor. Emil Prader who designed and constructed the first one using his own hard earned meager funds and Keith Bullock who tirelessly researched the names of the Airmen who died in those crashing bombers. He too used his own hard earned meager funds.

In the development of written human history it would be hard to find such dedication that would be required to conceive and construct these monuments. It would be even harder to believe that a defeated adversary could construct a heart-warming memorial for the young men who gave their lives for the victors as well for the defeated. For it was the defeated that needed so much from the victors to relieve the pain and suffering that was forced upon them by ruthless and demonic dictators. The pictured monuments above are a tribute and a memorial to demonstrate that all people and nations can and want to live together in peace and harmony. If only all the people can convince their own leaders that their primary responsibility is to use their wisdom to find a way to eliminate war as a way of life on Planet Earth.

Emil Prader is honored at the dedication ceremonies by the Mayor of Brixen. Keith Bullock’s story about the bomber crashes on December 29 1944 and February 28 1945 is told after the opening ceremonies and the written war time events that lead up to their creation [read the story]