Liberation Route Location 9 - Liberation

The Netherlands is about to be liberated in 1944. But it takes until the spring of 1945 before the whole of the Netherlands is liberated. The liberation of the Netherlands starts on 12 September 1944 with the advance of the Americans in Limburg. With operation Market Garden, part of Noord-Brabant and Gelderland is freed on 17 September 1944. Operation Market Garden consists of two main parts: the conquest of eight important bridges and an attack by ground troops. Unfortunately, the allied offensive is stranded at Arnhem. At that time, part of Noord-Brabant, Limburg and Gelderland is already in allied hands. In the following months, the Allies liberate the rest of Brabant and Limburg from this free zone.

A second offensive starts on February 8, 1945: Operation Veritable. With this, the Allies want to conquer the Rhine area. Due to the fierce opposition of the occupying forces, the offensive ends in a blow to exhaustion. On 10 March 1945, the Allies finally stood in front of the Rhine. The north of the Netherlands is liberated in the spring of 1945.

From 9 to 12 June 1945 a large liberation party with a procession was organized in Nederweert. The parade consisted of around 60 cars and more than 1,500 people. Every neighborhood had party cars and people were dressed as members of the Royal House or with ridiculous portraits of the Nazi regime.

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Source

• Text: Bevrijding Nederweert, Niek Hendrix en Jermain Nichols
• Photos: Bevrijding Nederweert