Luisterplek: Een brug te ver

Capturing the bridge over the Rhine near Arnhem, the main objective of Operation Market Garden, proved to be an impossible mission. 600 lightly armed paratroopers managed to gain a foothold near the bridge.

Capturing the bridge over the Rhine near Arnhem, the main objective of Operation Market Garden, proved to be an impossible mission. 600 lightly armed paratroopers managed to gain a foothold near the bridge. Heavy fighting took place there for four days, but the bridge and the city remained in German hands.

The Battle of Arnhem, from September 17 to 26, 1944, was the final chapter of Operation Market Garden. The courageous attempt to force a quick breakthrough into the heart of Germany came to an abrupt halt in this city. The mission was accompanied by a lot of bad luck. There were no suitable landing sites for the paratroopers close to the bridge, so they sometimes had to land 15 kilometers from their target. The lightly armed paratroopers also had to deal with unexpectedly heavy resistance. Armored SS units happened to be present in the Arnhem region to reorganize and rest from the Battle of Normandy.

The German tanks blocked all access roads to Arnhem, preventing supplies and reinforcements from reaching the small British battle group led by Lieutenant Colonel John Frost. They were now near the bridge in the city center of Arnhem. The failure of the operation was also due to poor weather conditions in England. Due to dense fog, supply planes were unable to leave on time and arrived in the Netherlands much later than planned. By the time they arrived, most of the landing sites around Arnhem had already been taken by the strong German forces. In addition, the Allies’ radio communications also failed. The biggest problem was that the land troops did not arrive in time to come to the aid of their Airborne comrades.

After the Battle of Arnhem on September 26, 95,000 residents of the city and surrounding villages were forced to leave their homes as the Germans wanted to convert the northern bank of the Rhine into a heavily fortified defense line. This turned Arnhem into a ghost town.

Tourist information

Rijnkade 155, Arnhem. Next to the ‘Battle of Arnhem’ information center. GPS code: 51˚58’34.10”N 5˚54’42.18”E

Bridge to Liberation Experience

Every year in September, the John Frost Bridge forms the backdrop for the experience of the Battle of Arnhem. Musical contributions from famous Dutch people alternate with dance and film. Each concert has a new story surrounding the Battle of Arnhem and guests are taken into stories about love, war, joy and sadness from different perspectives. During the event, thousands of people at a historic location reflect on what war does to them; what freedom means and awareness is also created for the future. By giving the creative power of the city of Arnhem a prominent place during the largest commemoration experience in the Netherlands, it becomes clearly visible what Arnhem stands for and what the DNA of the city is.