Liberation Memorial Haaren

Are you standing by the columns and the monument to the Scottish Liberators on the Monseigneur Bekkersplein?
Here you will find all background information.

The poem (left column)
Freedom
Learning from the Past
receive the Present
rely on the Future
Take me with you
everywhere
to celebrate Freedom
to transmit Freedom

Monument in honor of our Scottish liberators
This original monument was erected for the liberators of Haaren, soldiers of the Highland Division
of the British Second Army. They released Haaren back on October 26. Only a few of them
they, especially Scottish warriors, had to pay with their own deaths. Their names are up
the tableau.
The original memorial was made of wood. That was replaced in 1946 by a natural stone
plate. The tableau was placed in the wall of the then town hall. That was in 1998
demolished and replaced for new construction. Then it was decided not to brick in the memorial anymore
in the town hall itself, but can be placed separately in a wall behind the town hall. Since the
renovation of the Mgr. Bekkersplein and the surrounding area, the monument once again has a more honorable place
recovered, on the square itself.
For years, surviving Scottish liberators have returned to Haaren for their dead friends
to commemorate here and to meet friends in Haarlem. They were always warmly welcomed.

Civilian casualties 1940 -1945 in Haaren (right column)
At the request of several family members, the stainless steel columns were unveiled in 2020. So that we also in
wars who died in Haaren will never forget.

Deceased civilians
Giel van Beers, died in Haaren on October 25, 1944 by shrapnel.
Hannes Peijnenburg, died in Haaren on October 25, 1944 by shrapnel.
Kees van de Broek, died in Haaren on October 26, 1944 by shrapnel.
Sjef van Baast, died in Haaren on October 26, 1944 by shrapnel. On his
injuries died in hospital in Veghel.
Henk van de Wiel, died in 1945. Henk van de Wiel worked as a cook in a hospital in Zwolle
and was shot dead in the hall during a raid on 8-2-1945. He was buried on 2/14/1945
(known on 28-4-1945).

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Peer Franken
• Photos: Malou Franken (1), Lennard Bolijn (2)