January 2024 - LRE Foundation

New Themed Route explores the 100th Bombardment Group, the ‘Masters of the Air’

Posted on January 26, 2024January 26, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

With the release of the new ‘Masters of the Air’ series on Apple TV, the Foundation, LRE UK and partners have created a new Liberation Route Europe themed walk in Norfolk, East Anglia. It will be of no surprise to those who have been eagerly awaiting the series, that this new 6km (4 miles) Themed Route focuses on Thorpe Abbots, or Station 139 as it was designated by the United States Army Air Force. The trail provides an opportunity to delve into the past and explore the remnants of a once-bustling airfield.

The 100th Bombardment Group, Station 139, Thorpe Abbots Themed Route encompasses concrete remnants, old roads, perimeter tracks, and a public highway, offering walkers a glimpse into the daily lives of air and ground crews during World War II. The route intersects the former runways, providing an immersive experience as hikers follow in the wheel tracks of the legendary B-17 Flying Fortresses aircraft.

With over 2,000 personnel stationed there, Station 139, Thorpe Abbots was not just a military base but a thriving community that played a pivotal role during the ‘Friendly Invasion’. The Themed Route unveils the scale of the site, showcasing the purpose of various facilities and infrastructure. From accommodations to dispersal pans and the former runway, visitors can learn the stories of those who served and local civilians who witnessed wartime activities.

The 100th Bombardment Group Memorial Museum is a recommended starting point for the themed walk. It houses an impressive collection of original artefacts and interpretation panels. The meticulously restored control tower, including the glass house on top, offers a panoramic view of the former airfield, providing context to the site’s historical significance during WWII.

“This Themed Route marks the beginning of LRE UK’s development into East Anglia,” says Ben Mayne, LRE UK Director “and what better occasion to launch the new walk than the release of the “Master of the Air” series? It offers a great opportunity for people to learn about the airfield and surrounding area, the crews that worked here and who flew from here (some never returning), and the civilian perspective of the Friendly Invasion. This is just one airfield from East Anglia’s WW2 history and heritage, and we want to help remember what happened.”

Pitch your project at the LRE Member Seminar 2024

Posted on January 23, 2024January 24, 2024 by Cecilia Badano

As we eagerly anticipate the LRE Forum from February 26 to 29, 2024, in Aachen, Germany, we are excited to provide a sneak peek into one of its pivotal event—the Member Seminar. This gathering offers LRE Foundation members a platform to listen to the Foundation’s updates, showcase their best practices, present their projects, and engage in a thematic session centered around the 80th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Scheduled for the morning of February 27, the Member Seminar stands as an opportunity for our LRE Foundation members to shine a spotlight on their accomplishments and ongoing initiatives. Attendees will have the chance to take the stage, sharing their noteworthy achievements, ongoing remembrance projects, and special plans for commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in 2024. Registration for this event is still open for the Foundation’s members at this link.

A significant segment of the Member Seminar will be devoted to a thematic session focused on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Entitled “The 80th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War – A Remembrance and Commemorative Crossroad,” this session will be moderated by Rémi Praud, the Managing Director of LRE Foundation and will feature international hosts, including:

Simon Bendry, Head of Education and Engagement, Commonwealth War Graves Commission – UK
Femke Klein, Coordinator of Programme 80 Years of Freedom, Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei (National Committee 4 and 5 May) – The Netherlands
Dirk Backen, Secretary General, Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (German War Graves Commission) – Germany
Łukasz Kukawski, Head of Education and Visitor Center – Museum and Memorial in Sobibór – Poland

To make the Forum more interactive, we have included a Q&A session, providing attendees with the opportunity to engage directly with our hosts and delve deeper into the topics discussed.

If you are interested in pitching your project, please reach out to us at info@liberationroute.com.

LRE FORUM 2024 | You can still register for the event by visiting this link, and you can find the event’s programme, including dates and updated venues, here.

Guide Training 2024: “Storytelling about WWII Resistance in the context of Nazi memorials”, Austria, 1-3 February

Posted on January 17, 2024January 17, 2024 by Cecilia Badano

The LRE Foundation, in collaboration with the Mauthausen, Gusen Memorials and the Austrian Documentation Center is inviting guides, educators and cultural heritage professionals to its upcoming LRE Guide Training, which will be held from the 1st to the 3rd of February. This year’s training theme is “Storytelling about WWII Resistance in the context of Nazi memorials”.

The program for this year’s training is designed to equip participants with the most effective methods and techniques for conveying knowledge about the WWII resistance movements, with a special emphasis on engaging a younger audience. Through workshops, discussions, and practical exercises, participants will explore specific educational solutions implemented by the partners at their respective sites. Attendees will gain insight into the experiences of the Mauthausen and Gusen Memorials in creating new remembrance sites as well as the educators’ work in the context of disseminating WWII events awareness at the Austrian Documentation Centre in Vienna. The training will be enriched by guided tours of the memorial sites.

This event is part of the “Resistance Through Their EYES” project initiated by the LRE Foundation with the support of several international project partners and supported by the European Union. Partial financial coverage for participant access to the training is provided through the funding.

The training participation entails two levels: Basic and Advanced. The following breakdown outlines the associated costs for each level of participation:

Basic Level – 250 EUR:

Access to the content of the two-day event (Day 1-2)
1 night stay in Linz
Transportation from Mauthausen to Linz and from Linz to Gusen (as a group)
Coffee breaks and lunches during the two workshop days (provided at the Mauthausen Memorial)
Dinner in Linz

– Excluding travel arrangements and transport to Mauthausen on the first day

Advanced Level – 300 EUR:

Access to the content of the three-day event (Day 1-3)
2 nights stay (Linz & Vienna)
Transportation from Mauthausen to Linz and from Linz to Gusen (as a group)
Transportation from Mauthausen to Vienna on the second day
Coffee breaks and lunches during all workshop days (including goodbye lunch in Vienna)
Dinner in Linz

– Excluding travel arrangements and transport to Mauthausen on the first day

If you or any of your colleagues are interested in attending the LRE Guide Training, please send an email to Joël Stoppels – j.stoppels@liberationroute.com by 24 January 2024.

The LRE Foundation looks forward to your participation and making this workshop a valuable and enriching experience for everyone involved!