80 years of freedom: Operation Market Garden
On Thursday 6 June, the celebration of ‘80 years of Freedom,’ commemorating the end of World War II, began on the beaches of Normandy. This will be followed up in September with the commemoration of Operation Market Garden in September 1944.
Nijmegen and Arnhem were world news at the time. Through this region, the Allies wanted to force a rapid advance towards Hitler Germany. This was only partly successful: the Rhine bridge at Arnhem remained in German hands. Nevertheless, large parts of Limburg and Brabant were liberated, as was the Reich of Nijmegen. From there, the final offensive against the Nazi regime began in February 1945.
Last year, dozens of WW2 heritage institutions, cultural and social organisations in the Rijk van Nijmegen worked hard on a joint commemoration programme around Market Garden. This is now complete, as is the funding. This is partly thanks to subsidies from the province of Gelderland and the municipalities in the region.
Regional programme 80 Years of Freedom
The commemoration of Market Garden next September is part of the ‘80 Years of Freedom’ regional programme in the Rijk van Nijmegen and is supported by the municipalities of Nijmegen, Berg en Dal, Heumen, Wijchen, Beuningen and Druten. It runs from the beginning of 2024 until August 2025.
In February 2024, the commemoration of the bombing of Nijmegen on 22 February 1944 attracted a large audience. After ‘Market Garden 1944-2024’ in September 2024, there will be a focus on the 1944 evacuations in autumn, the Rhineland Offensive in spring 2025 and 80 years of freedom in May. The ‘80 Years of Freedom’ programme links past and present. War violence, devastation, civilian casualties, refugees: what happened here then is happening elsewhere now, including in Europe.
In September 2024, we in the Rijk van Nijmegen commemorate the events of the past, link to the present and celebrate 80 years of freedom.
Some highlights from the programme:
Sunday 15 September
Freedom Festival and Children's Fair in and around the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek, from 10.00 to 17.00. The Euregio Freedom Walk.
Tuesday 17 September
Market Garden commemoration at the General Gavin monument in Groesbeek, from 11.30am to 12.00pm.
Thursday 19 September
Liberation Task Force encampment at Klein Amerika in Groesbeek, with vehicles and equipment mainly from the British army from the Market Garden period. Can be visited all day, in the morning there is also a parade dropping.
Friday 20 September
Encampment of the Pontoongroup ‘40-’45 on the island of Veur-Lent near Nijmegen, to be visited from 10.30 to 17.00. At 12.00 hrs Waalcrossing of the Pontoongroup with 26 boats and 200 re-enactors. At 13.30 official commemoration of the 48 US servicemen killed in this action on 20 September 1944.
Saturday, 21 September
Encampment of Pontoongroup ‘40-’45', from 10am to 7.30pm. At 2.57pm Waalcrossing again, at the same time as the action at the time.
Parade for peace, Peace by Peace from the city centre to the Vasim grounds in Nijmegen. Start at 13.00. From 15.00 to 22.00 Peace by Peace festival on the Vasim grounds. This will continue on Sunday 22 September from 10.30 to 18.00.
Special edition of the Sunset March, for the general public, across city bridge De Oversteek. Start at 7.36pm on the Vasim grounds.
Discover Nijmegen's History
The oldest city in the Netherlands is full of stories. Dive into the history of the Greeks and Romans and learn more about the important emperors from Nijmegen. Maybe you want to know how Nijmegen survived the plague or how the city was influenced by the devastation of World War II? You can read all about it in this historical timeline.
Read more