Liberation Route Marker 044: No bricks for the enemy!

No bricks for the enemy!
In 1941, Kruitwagen, owner of the Panoven brickworks, refuses to supply bricks to the Germans for the Atlantic Wall and the factory grinds to a standstill. November 1944: the Battle of Arnhem is over but Zevenaar is swamped by heavy allied gunfire and large numbers of refugees look for shelter at the brickworks.

During the Battle of Arnhem and in its aftermath, the area on the other side of the Rhine, around Zevenaar, was targeted by heavy allied gunfire. This resulted in a flood of evacuees from Arnhem and the surrounding area. Many found refuge in the ovens at the brickworks along with labourers who had been digging the German trenches. Some stayed for a short time and others for longer. In November 1944 Zevenaar was evacuated.

When the Canadians liberated Zevenaar on 2nd April 1945, the town lay in ruins. A corporal, Corporal Fergusen was killed on the level crossing during this battle. A wounded Dutch soldier who had volunteered with the Canadians was looked after at the brickworks for a month before being able to return to his unit.

The bricks that had been waiting since 1941 were finally fired and a bank loan meant the Kruidwagens could buy coal to keep the business going. Meanwhile, The Netherlands started rebuilding the nation.

Audiospot - No bricks for the enemy!

Liberation Route Europe is a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. With hundreds of sites and stories in nine European countries, the route links the main regions along the advance of the Allied Forces in 1943-1945.
The entire route consists of themed routes that can be travelled by by hiking, walking, cycling and car. These routes pass numerous historical and interesting sites and tell stories from a multitude of perspectives that were important in the final phase of World War II.
Many routes feature listening spots, offering the opportunity to listen to a historical story at a location. In addition, many ‘Vectors of Memory’ have been placed, indicating that the passer-by is on one of the Liberation Routes.
The routes can be found on the Liberation Route Europe website or in the app through which many stories can also be listened to.

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

Source

• Text: TracesOfWar & Liberation Route Europe
• Photos: Arjan Vrieze