CRASH Air War and Resistance Museum '40-'45

Since 1987 CRASH has been active with her research in the Randstad region (the area in western Netherlands comprising the three large cities Rotterdam, Den Haag and Amsterdam and their environment), where she mainly has her work area. During the war years, approximately 750 planes landed in this area. In the thirty years that the foundation has been operating, the main focus is on 'the story' behind each wreck section. This gives the events and artifacts in the museum more meaning and highlights everything in multiple ways, with the aim of preserving the cultural-historical heritage.
The collection contains a unique piece of Dutch military aviation history. The CRASH investigation in 1993 is the only one in the world that resulted in the discovery of a Dutch fighter aircraft, the Fokker D.XXI No. 229. The wreck has been partially reconstructed and is emphatically present in the exhibition.

Air war
The air war research is still ongoing. Time and again it appears that the population is very interested in finding out more about this period. In recent years CRASH has investigated a downed German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter and a Fokker G-1 fighter plane.
Many lost their lives in the air battle that was being fought over our heads. The young crew members fought for our freedom, so we must not forget what they did for this. Sometimes they paid the highest price!
The foundation has set itself the goal of presenting a major exhibition about the air war within the municipality of Haarlemmermeer in an educational and informative way, because it remains necessary to remember and tell about the horrors of war.

Resist
A well-known hiding place in the Haarlemmermeer during the Second World War, the day laborer's house of the Sam and Antje Breyer family at IJweg 1742 in Nieuw Vennep was respectfully demolished on 22 August 2003 because it had to make way for new construction.

That is why CRASH has taken the initiative to save and continue to tell this story for the Haarlemmermeer. In addition, some striking parts of the house should of course not be missing in the museum in Aalsmeerderbrug. Between 1943 and 1945, eighteen to twenty people lived in a 4 x 6 meter house. Local residents only knew about the people in hiding when Sally Cohen (alias 'Uncle Henk') and the others walked out of the house on Liberation Day in 1945 with the flag at the front.
The resistance section includes the story of the resistance woman and secret agent Jos Gemmeke (the Sphinx) who was parachuted over Nieuwkoop. An engagement dress has been made from the parachute, which is central to the presentation 'Women in the Resistance'. Jos Gemmeke is the only woman, except Queen Wilhelmina, who has received the Military Order of William. The original silver-plated powder box with which she smuggled microfilms to Prince Bernhard's headquarters in Belgium in 1944 is one of the museum's showpieces.

Airplane radios
The museum has set up a special radio room in the setting of an English control tower from the Second World War. This includes the CRASH collection of aircraft radios and equipment and radio amateurs work with working radio equipment from the war years.

Spitfire
The Spitfire Hall features a full-scale reconstruction of a Spitfire as a tribute to this iconic aircraft and to all crew members who flew it during World War II.

For current visiting hours, please visit the website of the museum.

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Source

• Text: CRASH 40-45
• Photos: Arjan Vrieze (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), Rick Hoogervorst (6, 7, 8)