Memorial and Memorial Bench Dramatic Liberation Party

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A dramatic liberation party

Back in the days

May 8, 1945

In the early morning of Easter Monday, 2 April 1945, Oldenzaal was liberated by the Second English Army. Canadian troops offered the people of Oldenzaal a liberation party on the Groote Markt on 8 May 1945.
A group of young people ignited fire plates from shell casings during the party. They had obtained these from the German ammunition depot of Marthalager on the Tankenberg. Just before midnight that went terribly wrong. A grenade case was filled with the highly flammable fire plates. There was a tremendous explosion. The havoc on the Groote Markt was enormous. When the smoke had cleared, dead and seriously wounded people could be seen lying everywhere, hit by the shrapnel of the shattered shell. Sixty people were injured. Eight young people lost their lives.

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Source

• Text: Arjan Vrieze
• Photos: Arjan Vrieze