80 years of freedom
- 31 March 2025
- Reading time: approx. 5 – 6 Minuts
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands. World War II, and especially the Battle of Arnhem in 1944, has left deep traces in the area. Every year veterans and relatives – and of course other interested parties – return to the places where it all happened. The area, with its museums and landmarks, invites you to remember and look back. Various commemorations and activities are organized around the commemoration of 80 years of freedom. All kinds of events take place that are well worth visiting.
Loenen National Field of Honor
Nearly 4,000 Dutch war dead are buried on Loenen National Field of Honor. Military and civilians who lost their lives during World War II or in violent conflicts afterwards. At the edge of the field of honor is a memorial and education center. There you can hear moving stories. And that happens in a special way. As a visitor, you stand in front of a mirror, on which a man-sized film is played. In this way you literally stand face to face with relatives who talk about their loved ones buried at the cemetery. In the other room of the visitor center, you can listen to the experiences of veterans who participated in (peace) missions after 1945.
On May 4, at 12:45 p.m., the Commemoration of Honor takes place, leading up to the national Commemoration of the Dead.
© Ereveld Loenen
Want to walk the field of honor yourself? Every Sunday at 11 a.m. you can take a (free) tour of the field of honor. You can also take a walk, for example along the QR codes with stories here and there at the graves. For families with children there is a special youth route. Look for the opening hours of the Field of Honour and the center at oorlogsgravenstichting.nl.
Other special places to visit
Museum Sjoel Elburg and Memorial Centre Apeldoornsche Bosch
Museum Sjoel Elburg is a storytelling museum about the lives of twelve Jewish families who have lived in Elburg since 1700. The museum offers a historical perspective for a current theme: integration and tolerance. Or visit the renovated Memorial Centre Apeldoornsche Bosch, where you will learn about the more than 1,100 patients, family members and staff of the Jewish psychiatric institution Het Apeldoornsche Bosch. In January 1943, they were taken overnight to Auschwitz and murdered there.
Discover the war stories of inhabitants of Barneveld
Starting April 17, Museum Nairac will host the exhibition Eyewitnesses of War: 1940 – 1945 in the Municipality of Barneveld. This exhibition offers a personal perspective on the war years, based on stories of Barneveld residents who experienced the Second World War themselves. Each war year is highlighted by a different theme, each time told from the perspective of a Barneveld resident. The stories show how the war affected daily life and how people dealt with uncertainty, resistance and hope.
‘Letters for tomorrow’ at Museum Het Pakhuis in Ermelo
The temporary exhibition “Letters for Tomorrow” tells the story of the two Jewish children Eva and Bram and former family doctor Roelf Holtrop during World War II through letters they wrote. Each letter is a testimony of daily life in wartime, but also a promise to the future: a future in which the world would not be forgotten, in which the solidarity between people would not be diluted, even in the darkest times.
Airborne-monument op de Ginkelse Heide
Verlengde Arnhemseweg 101, Ede
Brits Ereveld / Airborne Begraafplaats / Oorlogsgraven Gemenebest
Van Limburg Stirumweg , Oosterbeek
Cycling and hiking routes
Various walking and cycling routes lead you along the special monuments and places that played a role during the Second World War. A good example is the route ‘Dropzone Ede’, but we have listed more for you.
Dropzone Ede
The route Dropzone Ede takes you past monuments in memory of, and information panels with stories about events from the Second World War on and around the Ginkelse Heide. Important events include the airborne landings during Operation Market Garden and Operation Pegasus. See more in this this video.
Commemorate 80 years of freedom along the Westerbork Trail
This year marks the eightieth anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands, but along the footpaths in the North Veluwe the traces of the past are more tangible than ever. Along the Westerborkpad and in Apeldoorn, seven new memorial objects have been placed that bring to life poignant stories from World War II. Learn more on this page.
In the footsteps of the Canadian liberators
Canadian soldiers played an important role in the liberation of the Netherlands. With the hiking trails of the Canadian Trail you can follow in their footsteps. The route runs from Zeeland, across the Netherlands to Groningen. Along the way you will encounter familiar and unfamiliar stories. Check out the Veluwe stages here:
Kröller-Müller Museum commemorates 80 years of freedom
From April 29 to May 5, 2025, the Kröller-Müller Museum commemorates 80 years of freedom. The bomb shelter is open to the public, there are mini-lectures in the museum and freedom walks in the sculpture garden. All activities are free to visitors with a ticket to The Hoge Veluwe National Park and the Kröller-Müller Museum
Apeldoorn celebrates freedom
Around 80 years of freedom there is a lot to do and experience in and around Apeldoorn. On Saturday, May 3, the historic Streetparade with United Pipers for Peace will take place. This parade runs from Het Loo Palace to the Oranje Park in Apeldoorn and is free to visit. Paleis Het Loo has even more on the program: with tours, events and a podwalk you will discover stories about the Second World War, the impact on the palace and the role of the Oranges in times of occupation and liberation.
On May 5, celebrate freedom in the heart of Apeldoorn! The Liberation Festival Apeldoorn takes place on the Marktplein and guarantees a day full of music, culture and connection.
Would you like to see the complete Apeldoorn program? Check it out here.
Wageningen, city of liberation
Wageningen – the city of liberation – is also well worth a visit if you are interested in the war past. Hotel de Wereld is one of the most famous hotels in the Netherlands. After all, this is where the German capitulation was negotiated in 1945. Today a modern hotel for sleeping, eating and enjoying. For a culinary dinner you can go to Gastrobar de Wereld. During the day you can enjoy coffee, lunch and drinks in the lounges, conservatory or on the terrace. The center of Wageningen offers vibrant hospitality and unique small boutiques and shops with a sustainable character. In the vicinity you can enjoy cycling through the floodplains and along the Rhine or walking on the lateral moraine through the special Arboretum. And while you’re there, be sure to visit the beautiful and freely accessible gallery Het Depot.
Another hotel with a piece of wartime history: Hotels Baars in Harderwijk. This hotel housed the command post of the Canadians just after World War II. On the building in the Smeepoortstraat hangs a liberation plaque.
© Hotel Baars, Harderwijk
More information?
Looking for more information about 80 years of freedom, Operation Market Garden and/or what’s happening in the region around the theme of freedom and remembrance? Then check out these pages:
80 years of freedom | regio Arnhem (visitarnhem.com)
80 years of freedom | Rijk van Nijmegen (visitnijmegen.com)
