Figure 1.--German Wehrmacht soldiers pull out of the Amsterdam area and pass some local children near het Gooi--an area around Hilversum, in the central the Netherlands. The green landscape and historical charm attracted well-to-do residents. The photograph is not dated, but was pobably taken May 6 or 7. Notice the wooden shoes. One boy seems to be waving good bye. This may have been a taunt. He looks old enough to hve had some understnding of whst was going on. I don't think the parents would have approved of that. The Germans still had their weapons and equipment.
The NAZIs finally surrendered to the Allies (May 7, 1945) ending World War II in Europe. The actual liberation of the Netherland is a little complicated. For most countries, liberation is mostly assiociated when when the capitals like Paris, Brussels, Oslo, and Copenhahen were liberated. There were two exceptions (Italy and the Netherlands). It is obvious why Italy was different. The Allies had to fight their way up the very long, and mountaneous Italian Peninsula and the Allies prioritized the Cross-Channel invasion for men and material. The Netherlamds were different. It is a tiny, flat country. What prolonged German resistance in the Netherllands was the Rhine River which cut through the country, creating a substantial natural barrier. As a result the Nethelands was liberated in two stages. The Netherlands south of the Rhine was liberated soon after the Allied breakout from Normandy. The Allies reached the Dutch border (September 1944 and much cof the country south of the Rhine was librated as a result of Market Garden (October 1944), but they were stopped of the Rhine. The Netherlands north of the Rhine was not liberated for another 6 months during which the Dutch still in NAZI hands were subjected to the Hunger Winter. Finally the Netherlands was liberated from the east when the Allies crossed the Rhine further south. The country was liberated by American, British, Canadian, and Polish troops. with the Canadians playing the major role. More than 7,600 Canadians died in the 9-month campaign to liberate the Dutch. They reached Amsterdam (May 5). There was riotous celebrations in Amsterdama and other cities a the Allies arrived. German forces in the Netherlands surrendered on that day. Gen. Blaskowitz surrendered to General Foulkes cimmanding the Canadian forces at n Hotel de Wereld in Wageningen. Some Germn troops remained in the Netherlands until May 8th. The Netherlands had a border with Germany so Germn troops mde for yh border, ;rgly on foot or on biycles, many stolen from the Durch people. Two days later, what was left of the NAZI regime surrndered to the Allies (May 7). Liberation Day (Bevrijdigingsdagin) the Netherlands is celebrated the day after National Remembrance Day (May 4). While Liberation Day was originally celebrated to commemorate the end of World War II, in recent years it has become celebrating the idea of freedom in general. There was a great deal to remember. The Netherlands suffered considerable destruction and loss of life. About 270,000 Dutch were killed, many of whom were Jewish.
Protracted Liberation
The NAZIs finally surrendered to the Allies (May 7, 1945) ending World War II in Europe. The actual liberation of the Netherland is a little complicated. For most countries, liberation is mostly assiociated when when the capitals like Paris, Brussels, Oslo, and Copenhahen were liberated. There were two exceptions (Italy and the Netherlands). It is obvious why Italy was different. The Allies had to fight their way up the very long, and mountaneous Italian Peninsula and the Allies prioritized the Cross-Channel invasion for men and material. The Netherlamds were different. It is a tiny, flat country. What prolonged German resistance in yhe Netherlands was the Rhine River which cut through the country, creating a substantial natural barrier. As a result the Nethelands was liberated in two stages. This prived a trgedy for the Dutch people.
The Allied D-Day opened the way for the liberation of Western Europe (June 6, 1944). The Germans managed to bottle the Allies up in Normandy, but could not dislodge the beachhead or prevent an enormous build-up. The Allies found it difficult to fight in the Bockage country, but finally Operartion Cobra succeeded in breaking out led by Patton's 3rd Army (July). The German 7th Army was largely destroyed. The Allies liberated Paris and crossed the Seine. The Germans retreated to Germany and the Allies raced for the Rhine. Unfortunately for the Dutch, much of the country was orth of the Rhine and the NAZIs decided to use the Rhine as the major defensive line in the West. A reconnaissance-patrol of the U.S. 113th Cavalry Group Red Horse crossed the Dutch border near Maastricht (September 9). The American 30th Infantry Division "Old Hickory", entered the southern Netherlands in force at Zuid-Limburg (September 12). The British and Canadians entered the Netherlans further east. After the failure of Market Garden, the British launched Operation Pheasant (October 20). This was the beginning of the liberation of central and western Noord-Barbant Province. The first Canadian Army attacked from Belgium and the British Second Army attacked from the eastern Netherlands. The 51st Highland Division drove to Schijndel village (October 23). The British, Canadians, and Poles liberated southwastern Netherlands (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Walcheren and Noord-Beveland and Zuid-Beveland) (September through November). The 2nd British Army liberated northwestern Limburg (November-December). This largely completed the liberation of the Netherlands south of the Rhine. The final step was Canadian and American operations after the Buldge which succeeded in liberating northeast Limburg and the German Rhineland.
The Netherlands north of the Rhine was not liberated for another 6 months during which the Dutch still in NAZI hands were subjected to the Hunger Winter. Conditions in the Netherlands north of the Rhine were very difficult after the failure of Operation Market Garden. The NAZIs after the Allies approached introduced draconian regulations in areas under their control. The Germans prohibited Dutch citizens from using electricity or to be in the streets after dark (August 1944). The Germans shot Dutch people who violated these regulations. The Allies liberated most of the Netherland south of the Rhine (October 1944). These regulations, however, maintained in effect north of the Rhine. The NAZIs used Dutch cities to continue launching V-2s at London. Food was very scarce. The Allies finally crossed the Rhine with the invasion of Germany (March 1945). By this time the Dutch were near starvation. Dutch children were primarily affected at the end of the War where the civilian population east of the Rhine was close to statvation by the times the Allies liberated them in 1945. A reader reports, "We in occupied Holland were certainly happy to see the Canadian liberators. We were starving to death." [Stueck]
Liberation Day (May 5, 1945)
Finally the Netherlands was liberated from the east when the Allies crossed the Rhine further south. The country was liberated by American, British, Canadian, and Polish troops. with the Canadians playing the major role. More than 7,600 Canadians died in the 9-month campaign to liberate the Dutch. The people in Amsterdam had been expecting the arrival of the Allies An announcement was finally made on the radio in the (evening May 4). The Netherlands was finally free. Exuberant celebrations began.
The Allies reached Amsterdam (May 5). And this is why Liberation Day is celebrated on that date. There was riotous celebrations in Amsterdam and other cities as the Allies arrived. Canadian General Charles Foulkes and the German Commander-in-Chief Johannes Blaskowitz reached an agreement on the capitulation of German forces in the Netherlands (May 5). They negotiated in the Hotel de Wereld in Wageningen. The capitulation document was signed the following day in the auditorium of Wageningen University, located next door (May 6). This opened the way for massive deliveries of food to the starving Dutch. The celebrtions were not without risk because the Allied soldiers had still not reached all of the country and disarmed the Germams. And there were still many armed German soldiers in the country. Most just wanted to get back to Germany. There were, however, die hards who could not live with the failure of German arms again. German snipers in Amsterdam opened fire on a jubilant crowd from the Groote Club building on the corner of Kalverstraat and Dam Squarein Amsterdam (May 7). Some 22 people were killed and over 100 wounded. The cellebrations could not, howevrr, be stopped. Amid the jubilation, crowds quickly turned tgheir attentiomn on collaborators. Men were beaten or even hot befire order was restored. Women who were accused of 'vertical' collabortion with German soldiers were a particular target. Thry were less likely to be shot, alrhough hair shearing was cimmon. Some German troops remained in the Netherlands until May 8, a few even longer, in scattered locations like Texel in the Scheldt. The Netherlands had a border with Germany so German troops made for the border. largly on foot or on biycles, many stolen from the Dutch people. It did not take long to get back to Germany. Three days after the Dutch surrender in the Netherlands, what was left of the collapasing NAZI regime surrendered to the Allies (May 7). The Netherlands suffered considerable destruction and loss of life. About 270,000 Dutch were killed, many of whom were Jewish, but finally they were free.
Modern Celebration
Liberation Day (Bevrijdigingsdagin) the Netherlands is celebrated the day after National Remembrance Day (May 4). he flag is flown everywhere. And liberation festivals are held thriughout the country. Local commemoration ceremonies take place in nearly every town and city throughout the Netherlands. Important locations include the Waalsdorpvlakte near The Hague and a war cemetery in Grebbeberg. However, the central ceremony takes place at the National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam. While the Dutch first celebrated Liberation Day to commemorate the end of brutal NAZI occuppationm, in recent years it has become more to celebrae the very idea of freedom in general. There was a great deal to remember. emembrance Day remains an important and respected milestone in Dutch history. In fact, an annual survey on Dutch issues in 2017 revealed that around 80 percent of citizens take part in the two-minute silence and follow the Remembrance Day ceremony on television or radio. It is also a time for national Dutch pride, reflection, and feeling 'a strong national bond'.
