As the city of Aachen, once the seat of power of the emperor Charlemagne, lay in ruins in World War II’s bitterest winter, an American soldier worked feverishly alongside German civilians to make sure its ancient cathedral remained standing. Capt. Walter Johan Huchthausen of Perry, Oklahoma, strove tirelessly to stop the building from collapsing and ensured it would be preserved as it is today.

The son of a German immigrant father, Huchthausen was a rising star in the field of architecture. His strong grasp of design principles and enthusiasm for history brought him accolades for his work and professional success. After receiving a Master’s degree from Harvard, he worked in New York and Boston and eventually became an assistant professor of architecture at the University of Minnesota.

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