National Canadian Liberation Memorial Apeldoorn

This memorial commemorates the liberation of the Netherlands by Canadian armed forces in 1945. The liberation memorial consists of a large bronze statue of a jubilating male figure and 2 concrete blocks with the following inscriptions:

"CANADA"

and

"NEDERLAND" (The Netherlands)

This memorial is supported by an information panel and a bronze plaque. The text on the information panel reads:

"DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, CANADIAN TROOPS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE NETHERLANDS. THIS MONUMENT - AN EXPRESSION OF JOY AND GRATITUDE FOR THE REGAINED FREEDOM - IS A PERMANENT TRIBUTE OF THE NETHERLANDS TOWARDS CANADA. IN OTTAWA, CANADA, STANDS AN IDENTICAL STATUE, A TWIN MEMORIAL. THE STATUES SYMBOLISING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CANADA AND THE NETHERLANDS: DESPITE SEPARATED BY AN OCEAN, THERE WILL BE ALWAYS A BOND OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. BOTH MEMORIALS HAVE BEEN REVEALED BY HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS MARGRIET OF THE NETHERLANDS: THE MEMORIAL IN APELDOORN ON 2 MAY 2000 AND THE MEMORIAL IN OTTAWA ON 11 MAY 2002."

The text on the bronze plaque reads:

"CANADA BROUGHT LIBERTY AND LIFE TO THE NETHERLANDS AT THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. BETWEEN OCTOBER 1944 AND MAY 1945, WITH FIERCE FIGHTING AND HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE, THE CANADIAN MILITARY OPENED THE SCHELDT ESTUARY AND THE PORT OF ANTWERP TO ALLIED SUPPLIES, CLEARED MUCH OF THE COUNTRY OF THE ENEMY, AND FED DUTCH PEOPLE LEFT STARVING BY THE NAZI OCCUPIER. ON MAY 5, 1945 IN WAGENINGEN, THE GERMANS SURRENDERED TO CANADIAN LIEUTENANT-GENERAL CHARLES FOULKES AND H.R.H. PRINCE BERNHARD OF THE NETHERLANDS, COMMANDER OF THE DUTCH ARMED FORCES. THE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP FORGED BETWEEN CANADA AND THE NETHERLANDS STAND STRONG TO THIS DAY."

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Source

• Text: Kaj Metz
• Photos: Kaj Metz