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Aachen was heavily damaged during World War II.

The city and its fortified sourroundings were encircled 13 September – 16 October 1944 by the US 1st Infantry Division and 3rd Armored Division in conjunction with the US 2nd Armored Division and 30th Infantry Division during the prolonged Battle of Aachen, later reinforced by US 28th Infantry Division elements.

Direct assaults through the heavily defended city finally forced the German garrison to surrender on 21 October 1944.

Aachen was the first German city to be captured by the Allies.

The city was destroyed partially — and in some parts completely — during the fighting, mostly by American artillery fire and demolitions carried out by the Waffen-SS defenders.

Damaged buildings included the medieval churches of St. Foillan, St. Paul and St. Nicholas, and the Rathaus ( city hall ), although Aachen Cathedral was largely unscathed.

Only 4, 000 inhabitants remained in the city ; the rest had followed evacuation orders.

Its first Allied-appointed mayor, Franz Oppenhoff, was murdered by an SS commando unit.