Liberation Route Marker 139: Camp Bisam

Camp Bisam
Little in this place reminds us of the radar station the Germans built here in 1942. The arrival of this element of the German air defence system had major consequences for the surrounding area and its residents. Even before liberation, the Germans abandoned the camp.

During World War Two, the German army had an extensive network of radar stations to detect enemy fighter aircraft. About 20 of these radar stations were rapidly constructed in the Netherlands. Most stations were given the name of an animal. From March 1942, such a radar station was built here at Strijbeek. Its name: Bisam.

The radar camp covered 47 acres and housed about 200 staff. Local Dutch people were forced to work on its construction and maintenance. As a result, the arrival of the camp had a huge influence on daily life in the area.

The Germans already abandoned the camp before the liberation. The radar installations were blown up and the buildings set on fire. On the 29th of October 1944, the liberators entered Strijbeek and Galder. By then, the German troops had already withdrawn.

Audiospot - Camp Bisam

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.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar & Liberation Route Europe
• Photos: Arie van Wijngaarden