On 8 November, representatives of the LRE Foundation attended the opening event of “Belgium, Battlefield of Europe” in Brussels, a new project organised by the War Heritage Institute(WHI), the Belgian federal institution responsible for military heritage and remembrance.
Over the centuries, hundreds of conflicts, from small struggles to large battles, have taken place in the territory of present-day Belgium, all the way through from the Roman conquests to World War One and Two. “Belgium, Battlefield of Europe” aims to uncover these 2000 years of war history in the country.
The project is based on three axes. Firstly, this initiative brings together a wide range of partner museums, sites and organisations working on the history of conflict and memory, publishing their information, temporary exhibitions, and activities on its website. Secondly, historical research of this period provides information about the countless battles in Belgium, including those largely forgotten today, whilst the website highlights where it is possible to find traces of these confrontations. Finally, “Belgium, Battlefield of Europe” contributes to preserving and transmitting the memory of events and their consequences with the WHI’s War Dead Register, which lists Belgian military victims, helping to keep them in our memories.
The LRE Foundation is excited to be part of “Belgium, Battlefield of Europe” as one of the many partner organisations working to keep WWII’s memory relevant and accessible and we look forward to seeing the project progress. For further information, visit their website and our partner’s page.
The events of the EASTory through their Eyes project, funded by the Europe for Citizens programme of the European Union, officially began with a workshop for project partners at the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek, the Netherlands. On 9 November, representatives of the Bastogne War Museum (Belgium), the City of Pilsen (Czechia), the German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst (Germany) and the Home Army Museum in Krakow (Poland) met in person for the first time to discuss the application of the multi-perspective approach to their work, exchange experiences, and learn from each other.
The Freedom Museum is a perfect case study of a multi-perspective, cross-border museum that presents the German and the Dutch perspective on the 20th century until the present, taking into account the experiences of other ethnic, social, or political groups and stimulating a deep reflection on the meaning and value of freedom.
The day began with a guided tour of the Freedom Museum by director Wiel Lenders and historian Ralph Trost. It continued with interventions from LRE historian Jory Brentjens, who discussed the approach of the LRE Foundation to history, events and research, and from Freedom Museum curator Rense Havinga, who presented the thorough historical work behind the creation of a multi-perspective museum. EASTory through their Eyes project partners then presented their work, institution and methodology, offering a broad view on WWII and the concept of liberation in the Eastern and Western European perspectives. To conclude the session, German historian Heiko Suhr discussed the evolution of the concept of liberation in Germany, moving from an individual to a collective national – and later European – memory. Sylvia Fleuren, city councillor of the Municipality of Berg en Dal, where the Freedom Museum is located, greeted the project partners, speakers and other workshop attendees.
The EASTory through their Eyes project is composed of a travelling exhibition and a series of youth events. The travelling exhibition presents personal stories of young people from the East and the West of Europe, and it was displayed in Groesbeek for the first time. It will then travel to the Bastogne War Museum, in Belgium, where the first youth event will take place on 10 December 2021. The other youth events will be organised in Krakow, Pilsen, and Berlin in the first half of 2022.
The LRE Foundation is proud to announce the unveiling of a new ‘Vector of Memory’ on 14 October 2021, in Overloon in the North-Brabant province of the Netherlands.
One month after the installation of the first ‘Vector of Memory’ in Vlagheide, Meierijstad, the second of the commemorative signposts designed by award-winning architect Daniel Libeskind has now been unveiled. These Vectors mark a series of historical locations along the Liberation Route Europe, signposting the trail and relaying important information about events that took place in the area during the liberation.
The 14 October marks 77 years since the town of Overloon was liberated by the Allied Forces after three weeks of fierce fighting at the Battle of Overloon. To mark the occasion, Europe’s first Remembrance Site Vector was officially unveiled as part of a celebratory programme at three different locations in and around the town, organised by the LRE Foundation, Overloon War Chronicles Foundation and War Museum Overloon.
The celebrations featured a flyby with two historic aircraft and also included the unveiling by Overloon War Chronicles Foundation of 100 portraits of servicemen buried locally as part of their ongoing project to return a face to each of the 281 war graves. The occasion also celebrated the 75th anniversary of the War Museum Overloon, which opened its doors in 1946 as the first-ever WWII museum in Western Europe. The museum’s new Lancaster Pavilion was officially inaugurated by the King’s Commissioner of the Province of North Brabant.
Many important personalities were present yesterday in Overloon, both political and representing the organisations. The Mayor of Boxmeer attended the unveiling ceremony, along with the Deputy for Culture and Heritage in North-Brabant, the Commissioner of the King for the province of North-Brabant, the Director of LRE Foundation Europe and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of vfonds.
The LRE Foundation is glad to announce that the city of Saint-Raphaël, France, has joined its network of members. The signature of the membership agreement in Summer 2021 allows for the development of new projects in Saint-Raphaël and Provence, known for the Allied landings on 15 August 1944.
The membership agreement with Saint-Raphaël stems from the city’s desire to value the local heritage related to the Provence landings by highlighting local commemoration sites and events such as the Nécropole Nationale de Boulouris, where the remains of 464 French 1st army soldiers of all origins and confessions lie. The LRE Foundation and the city of Saint-Raphaël share the same ambition to keep making the history of the Second World War relevant and accessible, especially to the younger generations.
“Liberation Route Europe is a great project that matches with our ‘Saint-Raphaël City of Memory’ ambition. It is important to identify sites that account for the crossing of French and Allied troops during the Provence landings. The Foundation wishes to work with cities serving as contacts and referents to carry out the projects of valorisation and the duty of remembrance and remembrance tourism, and this is what Saint-Raphaël will do.” says Frédéric Masquelier, Mayor of Saint-Raphaël.
The LRE Foundation collaborates with actors in Saint-Raphaël to highlight the local heritage, identify relevant sites and stories, connect them and create information panels for locals and tourists. This collaboration will result in the creation of new thematic trails to discover the city and its history in an authentic and sustainable way. These routes will be integrated into the international network of existing itineraries of the Liberation Route Europe.
“This new partnership offers us the possibility to further explore the heritage of the Provence landings and the Operation Dragoon of August 1944 and to include the related remembrance sites and stories into the Liberation Route Europe and Europe Remembers initiatives.” says Rémi Praud, LRE Foundation Managing Director, “We are more than happy to welcome Saint-Raphaël into our international network of those engaged into the valorisation of their WWII-related heritage, and we hope that their leadership in the region will inspire others to join us”.
The LRE Foundation is proud to announce that new hiking trails have been presented in the North-Brabant province, Netherlands, as part of its Liberation Route Europe project on 17 September 2021. The kick-off event took place in Meierijstad in the presence of the city’s Mayor Kees van Rooij who unveiled the first ‘Vector of Memory’ together with his colleague Jean-Pierre Lhonneur from the French town of Carentan in Normandy.
The first unveiled ‘Vector of Memory’ is located on the Vlagheide in Meierijstad and tells the story of the American paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who set foot for the first time on Brabant soil on 17 September 1944. These trail markers, designed by the award-winning architect Daniel Libeskind, will be implemented along the Liberation Route Europe to point to a series of historical locations and as informative panels.
“It is wonderful that the Liberation Route Europe pays homage to the liberators of our municipalities, sharing and experiencing the stories in a contemporary way, to keep the memory of the Second World War alive.” declared Meierijstad MayorKees Van Rooij, “Meierijstad and Carentan are therefore very pleased to be a part of this international project.”
The launch ceremony took place exactly 77 years after the liberation of the province of North-Brabant by the Allies. The Brabant section of the Liberation Route Europe was developed in collaboration with Brabant Remembers, VisitBrabant Routebureauand OLATand supported by the vfonds and the Mondriaanfonds. The trails follow the Airborne Walking Route and tell the story of Operation Market Garden, the large airborne operation launched by the Allies to ensure a swift advance towards Berlin in September 1944.
Walking route map and route planner A complete map of the new hiking trails will be published in November, with the most important sites, stories and ‘Vectors of Memory’ in the municipalities of the North-Brabant province. The complete international network of hiking trails, including all the stories along the route and a travel planner to map out your itinerary in the footsteps of history is available on the Liberation Route Europe website.
On 1 September 2021, LRE Foundation’s Deputy Director, Jurriaan de Mol, and Project Manager, Joël Stoppels, presented from the historic location of the Airborne Museum Hartenstein four new local World War II-themed itineraries in the Airborne Region. This presentation was made in the presence of the press and of the four municipalities of Arnhem, Overbetuwe, Ede and Renkum to kick-off the Airborne Month, dedicated to the commemoration of the Operation Market Garden throughout the month of September.
These new local routes have been developed thanks to the long-lasting partnership among Toerisme Veluwe Arnhem Nijmegen, the Airborne Region and the LRE Foundation. They can be experienced by local inhabitants and tourists alike as part of the Liberation Route Europe, the certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe that connects people, places, and events to mark Europe’s liberation from occupation during World War II.
Find the 4 routes on the Liberation Route Europe website:
The Poles of Driel is a hike past important sites in and around the city of Driel, where the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade fought during the Second World War.
The Oosterbeek Perimeter Route takes you along the Western perimeter: a horseshoe-shaped line of defence around the city of Oosterbeek, in which British and Polish troops retreated during the Battle of Arnhem and held out under continuous German attacks for nine days.
The Ede Drop Zone Route takes you across the landing zone of Ginkel Heath where two thousand paratroopers landed near the city of Ede. This act marked a crucial step for the liberation of the Netherlands.
The Airborne City Tour Arnhem takes you through the centre of Arnhem and makes the failed Battle of Arnhem (which took place in September 1944) come alive through 25 ‘audio spots’. To immerse yourself further in the story, download the Airborne Stories app.
The unveiling of these new roads connected to the stories of Operation Market Garden was accompanied by a very emotional video message from British WW2 veterans who addressed the inhabitants of the Airborne region.
Under the watchful eye of six American veterans visiting Berlin after serving there in 1945, the LRE Foundation launched its international network of hiking trails on 22 July in the Allied Museum. “We are taking a pledge with you”, said managing director Rémi Praud, in the reassurance that the Liberation Route Europe’s mission and purpose will be fulfilled. “We will continue to grow with our partners across Europe to keep your stories alive as Liberation Route is creating the largest WWII memorial in Europe.”
The day started in the German-Russian Museum in Berlin-Karlshorst, where Rémi Praud, together with deputy director Jurriaan de Mol, and Margot Blank, curator of the museum, welcomed the special guests and a handful of international journalists in the Kapitulationssaal. “In this historic room, the High Command of the German Wehrmacht signed the unconditional surrender in front of representatives of the Soviet Union, the USA, Great Britain, and France on the night of 8-9 May 1945”, explained Blank, while her words were at times overwhelmed by the creaking of the antique wooden floor.
After a visit to the permanent exhibition documenting the war of conquest and annihilation led by the German Reich against the Soviet Union from both perspectives, and a lunch in the museum garden, it was time to move from Berlin East to the Allied Museum in Southwest Berlin, where American troops were stationed right after the war.
The director of the Allied Museum, Mr. Jürgen Lillteicher, welcomed the group, and the veterans toured the grounds under the inspiring guidance of curator Bernd von Kostka, who told compelling anecdotes while gazing at an original British candy bomber, a spy tunnel, and the original Checkpoint Charlie.
From the original ‘outpost theatre’ of the US troops, hosts Praud and de Mol opened the launch event at 15:00, live-streamed on the Foundation’s channels. “We dreamed of our own Camino de Compostela” [the famous Spanish pilgrimage], smiled founder de Mol, explaining how it all started in 2008 as a regional initiative in the Netherlands. “Already then, we knew it belonged to a far bigger story”. Ten years later, Liberation Route Europe was an extensive international network certified by the Council of Europe. “But we were still missing a very tangible aspect”, Praud continues, “We wanted to really connect those sights. Now you can follow in the footsteps of history with your own feet. And by bicycle, as well, in the future”, he smiled.
De Mol pointed out that the Liberation Route Europe hiking trail network is unique and has the direct support of the German government and the vfonds (Dutch Foundation for Peace, Freedom and Veteran Support). One of the people making this possible is German MP and LRE Foundation’s patron, Martin Schulz. In his introductory message, Schulz said: “To commemorate is a duty, especially of my generation, the first one in Europe born, and – I hope – until death, living in freedom, democracy and a kind of liberty no generation before has known.”
More personal messages from LRE supporters and partners followed, as well as from Daniel Libeskind, architect and designer of the ‘Vectors of Memory’, the special trail markers on the Liberation Route Europe trails. The Director-General of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andreas Görgen, had a special message for hikers: “Go for it. Put on your shoes and experience the wonderful landscapes you are walking in. Go back home and contribute to freedom, to peace and to what will be the grand task of the 21st century: diversity and sustainability.” Attending guests and viewers were taken on a virtual hike along the Liberation Route Europe in Portsmouth, Normandy, the Ardennes, the Hürtgen forest, the Netherlands, and ultimately in Berlin.
For the veterans, the trip to Berlin is, without exception, very meaningful. “The target of my unit was Berlin”, says 95-year-old sergeant William Bill Casassa. “We fought up to the Elbe river. That was the end of the fighting for the entire American army. It took me 76 years to get back – to get to Berlin”. He referred to the American war cemetery in Margraten, the Netherlands. “That’s where our guys are. I hope future generations visit places like that and learn about what happened.”
LRE Foundation Chairman, Ed Kronenburg, closed the launch event with a special message for the veterans and for the future: “We have to continue to tell the stories you have told us. Your stories provide hope, strength and graciousness in times of uncertainty”. “We have to inspire the younger generations and teach them the values of freedom, democracy, and equality and the need to defend these values. We have to fight for them on a daily basis.”
In the German-Russian Museum, Margot Blank presents the Kapitulationssaal
Jürgen Lillteicher welcomes the veterans at the Allied Museum
Presentation of the ‘Vectors of Memory’ as trail markers
Andreas Görgen, Director-General of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, the Netherlands, joins the LRE Foundation and its international network made of places, people and stories that keep the memory of WWII alive.
The Kröller-Müller Museum is famous for its impressive collection of Van Gogh paintings, together with other outstanding pieces of art by Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondrian, among others. Besides its excellent art collection, the museum also has a fascinating war history. At the beginning of the Second World War, a bomb shelter was constructed in a sand dune to preserve the museum’s valuable collection. Later on, in the final year of the war, the building served as an emergency hospitalfor the Red Cross. On 15 April 1945, the museum was finally liberated by the Canadians, who also helped reinstate the art so the collection could be opened to the public on 6 October 1945.
Jurriaan de Mol, Director of the LRE Foundation in the Netherlands: “In a region where remembrance tourism plays an important role, visitors of the Liberation Route Europe will appreciate the combination of art, culture and history. The collaboration with the Kröller-Müller Museum is, therefore, a great addition to what the LRE Foundation’s network currently offers“.
The project HistoryTreks – Promoting European Citizenship and Sustainability along the Liberation Route Europe, organized by the LRE Foundation, has received a grant from the Erasmus+ program.
Through Erasmus+, the European Union supports the educational, professional, and personal development of participants in the fields of education, training, youth and sport in Europe and beyond. The program offers people of all ages the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience at home or abroad. This ambition perfectly matches the LRE Foundation’s mission and commitment to promoting innovative active remembrance and memory transmission projects targeting the younger generations.
The Erasmus+ grant will allow the Foundation’s team to organize an additional project as part of the LRE Youth Programme array. The project will consist of a 5-day mobility program in Germany and the Netherlands, during which 50 students (25 from Germany and 25 from the Netherlands) will be enabled to learn each other’s perspectives on the Second World War and remembrance.
Students will hike parts of the Liberation Route Europe during the five days to experience a new and sustainable way of active remembrance. Different museums, historical sites and cemeteries will be visited, and time for discussions and reflections will be allocated throughout the program.
The project aims to establish further connections between the two countries and create life-long bonds between the German and Dutch students.
