November 2025 - LRE Foundation

Coventry is now added to the map of Liberation Route Europe themed routes

Posted on November 13, 2025November 13, 2025 by Viola Scalacci

The LRE Foundation, in collaboration with LRE UK, is pleased to announce the release of the new themed route ‘Destruction, Courage, and Coventry’s Spirit during the Second World War’ in Coventry. The launch marks the 85th anniversary of the Operation Moonlight Sonata on 14 November 1940.

The route covers the history of the Coventry Blitz, connecting a broad spectrum of stories related to the bombing raid of 14 November 1940 and beyond. Visitors will encounter the city’s industrial role in the war effort, witness the responses of the emergency services, and learn about the stories of civilians and the tragic loss of life during the war.

As all trails that form part of Liberation Route Europe, the route will be accessible via the official LRE app, permitting users to explore it at their own pace, while engaging with the stories and heritage sites mapped out across Coventry.

“We are proud to launch this route in Coventry,” said Ben Mayne, LRE UK Director. “By linking the industrial heritage, the emergency services’ heroic response and the civilians’ lived experience, all witnessed in one city, we offer a deeply human and accessible way into the history of the Second World War. Our hope is that younger generations will engage, reflect, and carry forward the memory of these events.”

The LRE Foundation invites schools, youth groups, historians, local residents and visitors to explore the route. As we continue to expand our international network and programming, this Coventry trail stands as a model of how heritage, memory and meaning can be brought into the present day, in a way that resonates across generations and borders.

Free guided walks are available on Saturday, November 15. Find more details here.

The LRE Foundation’s Historical Advisory Board welcomes two new members

Posted on November 12, 2025November 12, 2025 by Viola Scalacci

The LRE Foundation is pleased to welcome Dr. Jana Wohlmuth Markupová and Dr. Sarah Gensburger as new members of its Historical Advisory Board. With their expertise, both scholars will bring valuable perspectives to the Foundation’s mission of preserving and promoting the memory of the Second World War across generations and borders.

Dr. Jana Wohlmuth Markupová

Dr. Jana Wohlmuth Markupová is an Assistant Professor of Oral History and Contemporary History at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague, where she has played a key role in academic activities for almost a decade. She currently serves as Chairperson of the Czech Oral History Association, Member of the Editorial Board of Biography Studies, and Member of the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Humanities.

Dr. Wohlmuth Markupová is the author and co-author of numerous academic publications, and her scholarship often bridges personal memory and collective experience, highlighting the value of individual stories in understanding broader historical processes.

For Dr. Wohlmuth Markupová, studying contemporary history – defined as the history since 1945 – does not mean moving away from the Second World War, but rather recognising how deeply it continues to shape the world we live in. As she explains,

“It only emphasises the importance of reminding us of its impact on the world we live in, which we may tend to forget, as the last witnesses of these events leave, or rather have already left. I am happy that the LRE Foundation attempts to do just that, and I am excited to participate in these efforts as a member of the Historical Advisory Board.”

Dr. Sarah Gensburger

Dr. Sarah Gensburger is a Full Professor of Political Science, Sociology and History at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Sciences Po Paris. Between 2021 and 2024, she served as President of the Memory Studies Association, the largest international scholarly network dedicated to memory research.

Bringing together political science and history, Dr. Gensburger’s research critically examines public policies of remembrance and their effects on society. As a historian, she is widely recognized for her work on the micro-history of the Holocaust in Paris, using space and geography to study social dynamics during times of crisis.

She is the author of fifteen books, including her latest publication, Appartements témoins. La spoliation des locataires juifs à Paris, 1940–1946 (La Découverte, 2025), co-written with Isabelle Backouche and Eric Le Bourhis. The book, which investigates the dispossession of Jewish tenants in wartime Paris, has been awarded the Albertine Translation Grant 2025.

Speaking about her involvement with the LRE Foundation, Dr. Gensburger notes:

“We need to take stock of the European memory policies and their impact. In this regard, the LRE Foundation seems a perfect place to do so in the best possible way.”

About the Historical Advisory Board

The Historical Advisory Board of the LRE Foundation advises on the definition of the historical scope of the Foundation’s projects and supervises content and research development. By welcoming Dr. Wohlmuth Markupová and Dr. Gensburger, the Board strengthens its commitment to ensuring that the Foundation’s work remains rooted in rigorous scholarship and a diversity of historical perspectives.

Promoting Liberation Route Europe Through Key Travel Trade Events Across Europe

Posted on November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 by Viola Scalacci

In recent weeks, the LRE Foundation team has been actively engaging with key players in the tourism and travel industry, taking part in several major networking events to strengthen partnerships and raise awareness about the Liberation Route Europe trails and destinations. Through these events, we continue to promote the special combination of history, remembrance, and outdoor exploration that defines our project.

Connecting at the CycleSummit 2025

From 4 to 7 October, our Project Manager Emme Johnson attended the CycleSummit 2025 at the historic Council of Constance, right by the beautiful Lake Constance, where Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland meet.

This annual event brings together more than 200 cycling tour operators from across Europe and beyond. It offers an inspiring setting for networking, exchanging ideas, and exploring new collaborations, perfectly located along the 270 km Lake Constance Cycle Path.

Emme spent these days introducing tour operators to the Liberation Route Europe network of hiking and cycling trails, highlighting its potential to enrich cycling itineraries with stories of remembrance right where they happened.

The Global European Marketplace (GEM) 2025

The LRE Foundation is also taking part in ETOA’s Global European Marketplace 2025, one of the most influential annual events in the travel industry.

With more than 800 travel industry professionals participating, GEM serves as a key platform for networking, business exchange, and collaboration. Our Project Manager Emme Johnson and Project and Communication Manager Gert-Jan Jacobs are representing the Foundation at both the GEM Workshop on 31 October at the Intercontinental London – The O2, and the GEM Conference on 3 November at The Mermaid Theatre. Their participation helps position the Liberation Route Europe trails within a broader network of European tourism partners and industry leaders.

Adventure Europe 2025

Finally, the Foundation will join Adventure Europe 2025, an online B2B event organised by ETOA – European Tourism Association and The Adventure Connection. This marketplace connects European and North American tour operators with suppliers offering authentic, off-the-beaten-track experiences, including outdoor activities, accommodation, and travel services.

Through these events, the LRE Foundation continues to broaden its network and foster meaningful collaborations. Each partnership helps raise the profile of the Liberation Route Europe network within the international tourism landscape, ensuring that the stories of liberation remain part of the journeys people take across Europe today.

Looking ahead, we are excited to organise the LREXPO during the LRE Forum 2026 in Arnhem and Nijmegen, an occasion for all LRE Foundation Members and Partners to connect with representatives from the travel trade industry, including European and North American tour operators.
For more information about the LRE Forum, click here.