We are pleased to welcome Kazemattenmuseum Kornwerderzand as a new member of the LRE Foundation network. The museum joins a growing community of organisations, including museums, memorials, municipalities, regions and other heritage institutions, that work together to preserve and share the stories of the Second World War.
Located on the Afsluitdijk (major dam and causeway) in the Dutch province of Friesland, Kazemattenmuseum Kornwerderzand brings to life the history of this unique location, from the construction of the Afsluitdijk to the Cold War. At the heart of the museum is the story of the Battle of the Afsluitdijk in May 1940, when 225 Dutch soldiers successfully held back the advance of thousands of German troops, making Kornwerderzand the only place in Europe where the German Blitzkrieg was stopped during the opening days of the invasion. Visitors can explore the original casemates, bunkers and military structures, while discovering the role this location played during one of the most important moments in Dutch wartime history.
The museum is already part of the Liberation Route Europe, as a point of interest along the Friesland Coastal Atlantic Wall Hike. With its membership in the LRE Foundation network, Kazemattenmuseum Kornwerderzand will become even more connected to an international community dedicated to to preserving and valorising the cultural heritage related to World War II, its memory and meaning.
“We are proud to officially join the LREF network. The story of the Kazemattenmuseum and the Battle of the Afsluitdijk is an important, yet often overlooked, chapter of the Second World War in the Netherlands. With a Liberation Route Europe Vector already on our site, this partnership is a natural next step. Together, we look forward to bringing this unique story to an even wider international audience,” says Marre Faber-Sloots, Director of Kazemattenmuseum Kornwerderzand.
We warmly welcome Kazemattenmuseum Kornwerderzand to the LRE Foundation network and look forward to working together to bring the story of the Battle of the Afsluitdijk and the history of this unique site to more visitors from Europe and beyond.
