Gelderland Remembers – 75 Years of Freedom
Gelderland was at the frontline of the war from 17 September 1944 to 5 May 1945. Starting with Operation Market Garden in September 1944 and ending with the German capitulation in May 1945. Large parts of the province were at the frontlines, resulting in evacuations, flooding, devastation and thousands of civilian deaths. All regions of Gelderland were affected by the war in these months. Together with Zeeland, Limburg and Noord-Brabant, Gelderland is the province with the most war damage in the Netherlands.
In 2019 and 2020 these events will have been 75 years ago. Throughout Gelderland, projects are underway to commemorate the events of that time and to celebrate the liberation and 75 years of freedom. The focus is mainly on the past, but also the present and the future. The number of eyewitnesses from that time is steadily decreasing; it is up to present and new generations to learn lessons from the past and to realise that peace and freedom are not self-evident. Links are being made between then and now.
Since the autumn of 2017, under the leadership of the WW2GLD foundation, work has been carried out with WW2 organisations in the region on an inventory of initiatives for 2019 and 2020.
‘Gelderland Remembers – 75 Years of Freedom’ is the title of the programme in which these projects come together. It is a mix of annual activities, extra initiatives which are specially organised in connection with the crown years, and more sustainable plans for the future. Some examples of sustainable plans are apps, road maps, documentaries, information points and landmarks. Probably the most important benefit is the growing cooperation between the WW2 organisations within and between the regions.
Partners of Gelderland Remembers
Gelderland Remembers is made possible by the province of Gelderland. In the programme ‘Gelderland Remembers – 75 Years of Freedom’ the province Gelderland works together with several prominent partners. Click here to see all partners of ‘Gelderland Commemorates’.
For more information about ‘Gelderland Commemorates’, visit www.gelderland.nl.
Do you have any questions about Gelderland Remembers? Contact Arina Rengelink (Provincie Gelderland) via e-mail: gelderlandherdenkt@gelderland.nl.
