THE NETHERLANDS (HOLLAND)
Compiled by Don Bogle, Brightspark
TUI Student Travel
April, 2011
History
Julius Caesar found the low-lying Netherlands inhabited by Germanic tribes—the Nervii,
Frisii, and Batavi. The Batavi on the Roman frontier did not submit to Rome's rule until
13 B.C. , and then only as allies.
The Franks controlled the region from the 4th to the 8th century, and it became part of
Charlemagne's empire in the 8th and 9th centuries. The area later passed into the hands
of Burgundy and the Austrian Hapsburgs and finally, in the 16th century, came under
Spanish rule.
When Philip II of Spain suppressed political liberties and the growing Protestant
movement in the Netherlands, a revolt led by William of Orange broke out in 1568.
Under the Union of Utrecht (1579), the seven northern provinces became the United
Provinces of the Netherlands. War between the United Provinces and Spain continued
into the 17th century but in 1648 Spain finally recognized Dutch independence.
The Dutch East India Company was established in 1602, and by the end of the 17th
century, Holland was one of the great sea and colonial powers of Europe.
The nation's independence was not completely established until after the Thirty Years'
War (1618–1648), when the country's rise as a commercial and maritime power began.
In 1688, the English Parliament invited William of Orange, and his wife, Mary Stuart, to
rule England as William III and Mary II. William then used the combined resources of
England and the Netherlands to wage war on Louis XIV's France. In 1814, all the
provinces of Holland and Belgium were merged into one kingdom, but in 1830 the
southern provinces broke away to form the kingdom of Belgium. A liberal constitution
was adopted by the Netherlands in 1848
In spite of its neutrality in World War I, the Netherlands was invaded by the Nazis in May
1940, and the Dutch East Indies were later taken by the Japanese. The nation was
liberated in May 1945. In 1948, after a reign of 50 years, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated
and was succeeded by her daughter Juliana.
In 1949, after a four-year war, the Netherlands granted independence to the Dutch East
Indies, which became the Republic of Indonesia. The Netherlands also joined NATO that
year. The Netherlands joined the European Economic Community (later, the EU) in
1958. In 1999, it adopted the single European currency, the euro.
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Geography
The Netherlands, on the coast of the North Sea, is twice the size of New Jersey. Part of
the great plain of north and west Europe, the Netherlands has maximum dimensions of
190 by 160 mi (360 by 257 km) and is low and flat except in Limburg in the southeast,
where some hills rise up to 322 m (1056 ft). About half the country's area is below sea
level, making the famous Dutch dikes a requisite for efficient land use. Reclamation of
land from the sea through dikes has continued through recent times. All drainage
reaches the North Sea, and the principal rivers—Rhine, Maas (Meuse), and Schelde—
have their sources outside the country.
Government
Constitutional monarchy. Sovereign: Queen Beatrix (1980)
Population: 16,715,999 (growth rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 10.4/1000;
infant mortality rate: 4.7/1000; life expectancy: 79.4; density per sq
km: 491
Capital: Amsterdam (official), 737,900; The Hague (administrative capital), 465,900
Other large cities: Rotterdam, 600,700; Utrecht, 263,900; Eindhoven, 206,900
Languages: Dutch, Frisian (both official)
Ethnicity/race: Dutch 83%, other 17% (9% of non-Western origin, mainly Turks,
Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Islam 6%, none
41% (2002)
Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $639.5 billion; per capita $38,500. Real
growth rate: 3.5%. Inflation: 1.6%. Unemployment: 3.2%. Arable land: 22%.
Agriculture: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock. Labor force:
7.5 million; agriculture 2.2%, industry 24%, services 73.8% (2007 est.). Industries:
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment,
chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing. Natural resources:
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natural gas, petroleum, arable land. Exports: $465.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery
and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs. Imports: $402.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.):
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing. Major trading
partners: Germany, Belgium, UK, France, Italy, U.S., Russia, China (2006).
AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam has as many facets as a 40-carat diamond polished by one
of the city's gem cutters: the capital, and spiritual "downtown," of a
nation ingrained with the principles of tolerance; a font for homegrown
geniuses such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh; and a unified social zone
that takes in cozy bars, archetypal "brown" cafés, and outdoor markets.
While impressive gabled houses bear witness to the Golden Age of the
17th century, their upside-down images reflected in the waters of the city's canals
symbolize and magnify the contradictions within the broader Dutch society. With a mere
730,000 friendly people and with almost everything a scant 10-minute bike ride away,
Amsterdam is actually like a village.
Set on 160 man-made canals (stretching 75 km), Amsterdam also has the largest
historical inner city in Europe. When compared with other major European cities, this
one is uniquely defined by houses, rather than palaces, estates, and other aristocratic
folderol. Most of the 7,000 registered monuments here began as residences and
warehouses of humble merchants.
Like the canals' waters, the city's historical evolution has followed a cyclical pattern of
down spins and upswings. Amsterdam's official voyage toward global domination began
in 1275, when Floris V, count of Holland, decreed that the fledgling settlement would be
exempt from paying tolls. Consequently, the community, then called Aemstelredamme,
was soon taking in tons of beer from Hamburg, along with a lot of thirsty settlers. The
beer profits opened up other fields of endeavor, and by the 17th century, Amsterdam
had become the richest and most powerful city in the world. It had also produced the
world's first-ever multinational company: the East India Company (VOC), which shipped
spices, among other goods, between Asia and Europe. The VOC's massive profits led
directly to Amsterdam's Golden Age, when it was called, in Voltaire's words, "the storage
depot of the world."
No doubt, this "embarrassment of riches" affected the character of the city. While the
rest of Europe still felt it necessary to uphold the medieval tags of "honor" and "heroism,"
Amsterdam had the luxury of focusing just on money -- and the consequent liberty it
created. French historian Henri Mechoulan once said, "Amsterdam must be regarded as
the cradle of freedom" -- and it's certainly no coincidence that the city is where the noted
16th-century political thinker John Locke wrote his Epistula de Tolerantia, where 17thcentury scientist Jan Swammerdam laid the foundations of entomology, where
philosophers like Spinoza and Descartes could propound controversial world views, and
where architects like Hendrick de Keyser, Joseph van Campen, and Daniel Stalpaert
could pursue their own visions of the ideal.
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Amsterdammers' business sense also led, in turn, to a broad tolerance for people of
diverse cultures and religions. The onset of a second goldenish age in the late 19th
century, through an escalation of Indonesian profits, the discovery of diamonds in South
Africa, and the opening of the North Sea Channel, resulted in a doubling of the
population. Then, with the post-World War II boom, another wave of immigrants, now
from the former colonies of Indonesia, Suriname, and the Antilles as well as "guest
workers" from Morocco and Turkey, thronged in.
Today, Amsterdam bills itself as the business "Gateway to Europe." Hundreds of foreign
companies have established headquarters here to take advantage of the city's central
location in the European Union. The city is consequently hastening to upgrade its
infrastructure and to create new cityscapes to lure photographers away from the
diversions of the infamous Red Light District.
.
Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum (National Museum), set in its historic
building, is the largest museum in the Netherlands. The
museum is the largest in the size of its collections, its building,
the budget and the number of staff employed.
Each year, more than a million people visit the Rijksmuseum.
The museum employs around 400 people, including 45
curators who are specialised in all areas.
The Rijksmuseum is internationally renowned for its exhibitions and publications and not
only are these high quality products, but are also areas in which the museum extends
the boundaries of scholarship and encourages new insights. It houses the world's
greatest collection of Dutch art, or, for now, at least, its "Best of the Golden Age"
selection (with its world-famed Rembrandts and Vermeers
Van Gogh Museum
A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience of your visit
to Amsterdam. The museum contains the largest collection of van
Gogh's paintings in the world.
The displays provide the opportunity to keep track of the artist's
developments, or compare his paintings to works by other artists from the 19-th century.
The museum also holds an extensive offer of exhibitions on various subjects from 19-th
century art history.
The permanent collection features the works of Vincent van Gogh, and the works of
other artists. Van Gogh's work is organised chronologically into five periods, each
representing a different phase of his life and work: The Netherlands, Paris, Arles, SaintRemy and Auvers-sur-Oise. The images of paintings can be viewed alphabetically, or
listed by title on the museum's web site: www.vangoghmuseum.nl.
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ANNE FRANK HOUSE
Anne Frank was one of the Jewish victims of Nazi persecution during
the second world war. After Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands
in 1940, increasingly severe anti-Jewish measures began here as
well. The Frank family tried to escape by going into hiding. On July
1942, Otto Frank, Edith
Frank-Hollander and their daughters Margot and Anne hid in this
building on the Prinsengracht. They where later joined by Mr. and Mrs
Daan, their sun Peter and Mr. Dussel. The building consists of two
parts : a front house and a back annex. Otto Frank's business was located in the front
house. The uppermost floors of the back anexe became the hiding place. After more
than two years the group was betrayed and deported. Anne and Margot died of typhus in
Bergen-Belsen in March 1945, only a few weeks before this concentration camp was
liberated. Otto Frank, the only member of the group to survive, returned after the war.
During the hiding period Anne Frank kept a diary. In it she described daily life in the back
anexe, the isolation and the fear of discovery. Anne's diary survived the war: after the
betrayal it was found by Miep Gies, one of the helpers. When it was confirmed that Anne
would not be returning, Miep gave the manuscripts to Otto Frank. In 1947 the first Dutch
edition appeared. Since then the diary has been published in more then 55 languages
SCHIPHOL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
This is one of the busiest airports in the worlds, and the gateway to
Holland. For many years, it has had the reputation of having one of
the finest selections of duty-free stores. There is quick and frequent
train access to downtown Amsterdam from here.
Aalsmeer Flower Auction
Just outside the town of Aalsmeer is the huge auction complex,
established in 1928, in which more than 7 billion cut flowers
(some 50% roses and 10% carnations) and over 150 million
plants are sold annually. Some 80% are exported, over half of
them to Germany.
The Aalsmeer auctions, together with the other Dutch flower auctions, determine
the international price levels of flowers and plants, since 60% of all exports come from
the Netherlands. The average annual value of these exports is over $3 billion. The
Aalsmeer auctions are held Monday to Friday, starting at 6:30am. Activity, however,
continues round the clock.
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The Battle of the Scheldt
A
terrapin
arrives
at the
Scheldt
embarka
tion
point
near
Terneuze
n
The task of liberating the Scheldt was entrusted to the First Canadian Army, under the
command of Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds (in place of General Crerar, who had
returned to England because of severe illness).
The unique geography of the area made the First Canadian Army's challenge even more
daunting. North of the estuary lay South Beveland. Beyond South Beveland lay the
island of Walcheren, which had been fortified into a powerful German stronghold. The
south bank of the estuary was flat floodlands enclosed by dykes, known as "polder
country". It was below sea level and well-suited to defence.
The plan for opening the estuary involved four main operations. The first was to clear the
area north of Antwerp and secure access to South Beveland. The second was to clear
the Breskens "pocket" behind the Leopold Canal, and the third was the capture of South
Beveland. The final phase would be the capture of Walcheren Island. On October 2, the
2nd Canadian Infantry Division began its advance north of Antwerp, while the 3rd
Canadian Infantry Division, supported by the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, began
the assault over the Leopold Canal. In both areas the fighting was fierce. The wellentrenched German forces made it difficult for the Allied forces to advance.
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, advancing north to close the eastern end of South
Beveland, made good progress against the enemy paratroopers who were barring the
way. Casualties were heavy as Canadian troops attacked over open flooded ground, but
by October 16 they had seized the town of Woensdrecht at the entrance to South
Beveland.
At this point, the challenge and opportunity was clear to all and Field-Marshal Bernard
Montgomery, overall commander of the First Canadian Army and Second British Army,
issued a directive making the opening of the Scheldt estuary the top priority. To the east,
the British Second Army attacked westwards to clear the Netherlands south of the Maas
River. This helped secure the Scheldt region from an outside counter-attack.
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Royal Hamilton Light Infantry carriers move through
the Dutch village of Krabbendijke on the Beveland
Causeway, 27 October 1944
Meanwhile, Lieutenant-General Simonds concentrated on the area north of South
Beveland. The 4th Canadian Armoured Division, which had been engaged at the
Leopold Canal, moved north of the Scheldt and drove hard for the town of Bergen-opZoom. By October 24, the entrance to South Beveland was breached and secured and
the 2nd Canadian Division began the advance into South Beveland, assisted by an
amphibious landing by the 52nd British Division. By October 31, the area was secured
by the Allies.
Fighting along the Scheldt's southern shore was equally fierce. Here, the 3rd Canadian
Infantry Division encountered tenacious German opposition as it fought to cross the
Leopold Canal and clear the Breskens pocket behind the canal. The attack began on
October 6 against fierce opposition, and for three days a slender bridgehead was in
constant danger of elimination. Finally, on October 9, an amphibious assault broke the
enemy's hold on the canal, and the bridgehead was deepened. Troops and tanks
crossed the canal and the Germans withdrew into concrete bunkers along the coast.
More fighting followed, but by November 3 the south shore of the Scheldt was secured.
On October 24, the third phase of the battle to free the Scheldt began with the 2nd
Canadian Infantry Division moving against South Beveland. The Canadians hoped to
advance rapidly, by-passing opposition and seizing bridgeheads over the Beveland
Canal, but they too were slowed by mines, mud and strong enemy defences.
"Buffalo" amphibious vehicles taking troops across the
Scheldt in Holland.
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An amphibious attack was made across the West Scheldt by the 52nd (Lowland)
Division to get in behind the German's Beveland Canal defensive positions. Thus this
formidable defence was outflanked and the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade began a
frontal attack in assault boats. The engineers were able to bridge the canal on the main
road. With the canal line gone, the German defence crumbled and South Beveland was
cleared.
This left the island of Walcheren as the last obstacle to securing the port of Antwerp for
Allied use. However, the Germans had fortified their position on the island and the only
land approach was the long narrow causeway from South Beveland. To make matters
worse, the flats that surrounded this causeway were too saturated with sea water for
movement on foot but with too little water for an assault in storm boats.
The island was attacked from three directions: across the causeway from the east,
across the Scheldt from the south, and from the sea. To hamper German defence, the
island's dykes were breached by heavy Royal Air Force bombing, which flooded the
central area and allowed the use of amphibious vehicles.
The Canadians attacked the causeway on October 31 and, after a costly struggle,
established a foothold. Then, in conjunction with the waterborne attacks, the 52nd British
Division continued the advance. On November 6, the island's capital Middelburg was
secured, and by November 8 all enemy opposition ended.
Sweepers returning to Antwerp docks, November 26,
1944
Meanwhile, the 4th Canadian Armoured Division had pushed eastward past Bergen-opZoom to St. Philipsland where it sank several German vessels in Zijpe harbour.
Thus, with the approaches to Antwerp free and the country up to the Maas River
cleared, the Battle of the Scheldt was over and the crucial supply line, essential to fuel
the allied advance to liberate Europe, was secured. The channel was cleared of mines
and, on November 28, the first convoy entered the port of Antwerp, led by the Canadianbuilt freighter Fort Cataraqui.
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The Battle of the Scheldt exacted a heavy toll on the First Canadian Army. Between
October 1 and November 8, 1944, the First Canadian Army suffered 12,873 casualties
(killed, wounded, or missing), 6,367 of whom were Canadians.
ARNHEM & NIJMEGEN
In 1940, the Netherlands were invaded by Germany with Nijmegen being the first Dutch
city to fall into German hands. On February 22, 1944, Nijmegen was heavily bombed by
American planes, causing great damage to the city centre. The American pilots may
have thought they were bombing the German city of Kleve, which was clearly not the
case. Over 750 people died in the incident. During 1944, the city saw heavy fighting
during ―Operation Market Garden.‖ The objective in Nijmegen in September 1944 was
mainly to prevent the Germans from destroying the bridge. Capturing the bridge allowed
the British Army XXX Corps to attempt to reach the British airborne troops in Arnhem. At
one time, the bridge held close to 20 25lb anti-tank guns and two anti-aircraft guns. The
Germans made repeated attacks on the bridge using bombs attached to driftwood,
midget submarines and later resorted to shelling the bridge with 88mm barrages. Troops
were positioned on the bridge giving an excellent arc of fire in case of attack. Troops that
couldn't fit onto the bridge were positioned in a bombed out house slightly upstream of
the bridge. During the shelling, the house was hit, killing 6 soldiers and wounding 1
more.
Nijmegen was liberated from German captivity by the First Canadian Army in November
of 1944 for the last time. This city would later be used as a springboard for ―Operation
Veritable,‖ the invasion across the Rhine River by Allied Troops.
OPERATION MARKET GARDEN: “A BRIDGE TOO FAR” – September, 1944
The fall of Paris on August 25, 1944 ended the Normandy campaign, but the Allies were
still dependent on the port of Cherbourg for supplies. This caused a reevaluation of the
―broad front‖ strategy that Eisenhower followed, advancing everywhere, rather than
Montgomery‘s advocacy for narrow thrusts through weak points in the German lines.
US Army General George S. Patton‘s Third Army, driving hard, had run off the French
maps and were advancing on the German city of Aachen, the first German territory to
come under attack. Hitler was determined to hold the city, but the Allies‘ increasing
supply problems stopped Patton cold. He was sure that given more gas, he could
advance on Berlin.
Montgomery was given authorization to try his narrow advance.
Holland had been under German occupation for four years, and
he believed that the German forces there were weak. If
airborne units could land and hold key bridges, he could send a
heavy armored force racing through Holland and sweep around
to take Berlin before the end of the year.
The plan called Operation Market-Garden, for the largest
airborne drop in military history. Three Allied divisions would be involved. The US Army
101st Airborne would drop on Eindhoven and take the canal crossings at Veghel. The
US Army 82nd Airborne would land on bridges over the Maas and Waal Rivers. 60 miles
behind the German lines, the British 1st Airborne, then later the Polish 1st Airborne
Brigade, would be dropped on the Rhine bridges at Arnhem. This was the ―Market‖ plan.
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UK General Brian Horrocks, commanding the XXX Corps, would dash up these Alliedheld river crossings to relieve the 1st Airborne in the ―Garden‖ phase of the operation.
Montgomery‘s planning did not take into account any of the lessons learned in
Normandy, or even the German landings in Crete three years before.
Also, the Germans were beginning to stabilize their western forces. German
paratroopers and SS panzer units were moved into Arnhem, and while British
intelligence was aware of them, their presence was discounted. Also, for such a large
operation, less time was taken than the Normandy landings.
The Airborne units had suffered heavily in the Normandy campaign, and were still
reorganizing in their camps in England when the orders came down. They had returned
in early August after forty days of fighting. Some 40% of their members would never
leave the Normandy coast, resting in Allied cemeteries.
The reconstituted Allied airborne force of World War II was the greatest the world had
ever seen, probably would ever see again. Highly motivated, superbly armed, they were
confident they could do the job, if the XXX Corps could make the 60-mile dash to relieve
the British 1st Airborne.
On the morning of September 17, 1944, the airborne landings began, and the Dutch
population, confident that they were about to be liberated, watched from their rooftops.
The Germans were even in awe of the force that was descending on them.
The same morning the XXX Corps began to advance. Working up a single road, the
Germans poured fire down on the tanks and vehicles, and the assault was stalled almost
as it began. Allied air support was inadequate, and the Germans recovered quickly.
The Airborne forces were able to accomplish their goals, except for the 82nd Airborne,
which had to build a temporary bridge to get XXX Corps across. The Americans were
shocked by the lack of urgency among the British armored corps, one officer saying that
they ―stopped for tea.‖ As fellow paratroopers, they knew the British 1st Airborne could
not hold out for long.
The ―Red Devils‖ had dropped five miles from their target, and could only take the North
side of the bridge. Worse, they had dropped on part of a Panzer division, and were
beating back tank attacks from across the Rhine. Units were cut off, and the division
commander, Major General ―Roy‖ Urquart, was out of touch with his men for thirty-six
critical hours.
The British 1st Airborne held on. They were supposed to be relieved on the fourth day,
but after nine days the XXX Corps still did not relieve them. Casualties were mounting,
and it became clear that even with additional troops landing in heavy fire south of the
Rhine, the 1st Airborne was cut off.
On September 26, Montgomery ordered the 1st Airborne to break out of Arnhem and
rejoin the Allied lines to the south. Out of 10,000 men dropped into Arnhem, only 2,300
came out. 1,400 were dead and over 6,000 were prisoners of war.
Operation Market-Garden had failed, and with it the opportunity to end the war in 1944.
The Dutch population suffered the most, and the coming winter would see mass
starvation of civilians.
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Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein': the Battle for Arnhem
In September 1944 more than ten thousand British and Polish Airbome troops
fought in and around Arnhem. Their objective was to take the Rhine bridge. Six hundred
of them managed to reach the bridge. Waiting for reinforcements they fought for four
days holding the Northern ramp. The rest of the force, however, didn't succeed in
reaching them. Those held out for five more days at Oosterbeek before finally making
their way across the Rhine to Allied held ground. Only 2.293 made it back to England.
During the battle the Hartenstein hotel in Oosterbeek was
the headquarters of the British divisional commander, MajorGenera R.E. Urquhart. The Airborne Museum is situated in this
very building. There you can follow the events of the battle as
they materialized: from the air landings, the march to the bridge,
the fierce fighting in Arnhem and Oosterbeek, to the crossing of
the river. British and German arms, equipment and ammunition, abandoned at Arnhem
some dug up in later times, authentic film footage, true to life dioramas and an
audiovisual presentation make a penetrating picture of the tragedy for which Amhem and
Oosterbeek were the stage in September 1944.
The former Hotel Hartenstein housed headquarters of the British 1st Airborne Division
during the Battle of Arnhem. Most of that proud command was killed, wounded, or
captured while trying to fight its way through strong German opposition to Arnhem and,
after the failure of that assault, to maintain a bridgehead on the north bank of the Rhine
at Oosterbeek until relief came from the south -- relief that arrived too little and too late.
The museum, surrounded by beautiful grounds and a park, is packed with exhibits that
detail the savage fighting, when for a week the hotel and its surroundings were under
constant attack.
You can walk the paratroop survivors' withdrawal route south through the park and
suburban streets, to the Rhine at W esterbouwing. A passenger-and-bike ferry shuttles
back and forth across this scenic stretch of the river, to dock near Driel on the south
bank. This village has a monument to Polish paratroops who landed here in the face of
heavy German fire during Operation Market Garden.
The Liberation of the Netherlands, from September 1944 to April 1945, played a
key role in the culmination of the Second World War, as the Allied forces closed in on
Germany from all sides. The First Canadian Army played a major role in the liberation of
the Dutch people who had suffered terrible hunger and hardship under the increasingly
desperate German occupiers.
The flooded, muddy terrain and the tenacity of the well-fortified German defences
made the Battle of the Scheldt especially gruelling and bloody. Indeed, the battle is
considered by some historians to have been waged on the most difficult battlefield of the
Second World War. At the end of the five-week offensive, the victorious First Canadian
Army had taken 41,043 prisoners, but suffered 12,873 casualties (killed, wounded, or
missing), 6,367 of whom were Canadians.
Following the conclusion of the Battle of the Scheldt in November 1944, winter
brought a period of reduced fighting in anticipation of the push over the Rhine River in
the new year. When the new Allied offensives began in 1945, the First Canadian Army
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helped liberate the northeastern and western Netherlands, until the German Army
officially surrendered in early May.
More than 7,600 Canadians died in the nine-month campaign to liberate the
Netherlands, a tremendous sacrifice in the cause of freedom .
ARNHEM (OOSTERBEEK) WAR CEMETERY (THE NETHERLANDS)
Arnhem is the capital of the Province of Gelderland; Oosterbeek is a village
suburb about seven kilometres from the city centre. It was in this area that the British 1 st
Airborne Division landed in September, 1944 in their vain attempt to capture and hold
the bridge over the Lower Rhine at Arnhem. The division made a stand within a
gradually shrinking perimeter at Oosterbeek, holding out until all hope of relief by troops
advancing from the south was abandoned and their supplies and ammunition were
running out. Many of those who died were buried at Oosterbeek in a cemetery with over
1,600 British,
and 33 Canadians. There is an excellent museum nearby depicting the fighting at
Arnhem.
http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/oosterbeek_war_cemetery.htm
GROESBEEK CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY (THE NETHERLANDS)
Many of those buried here are Canadian who died in the
heavy fighting in the battle of the Rhineland in February-March,
1945. The cemetery is unusual in that many of the dead were
brought here from nearby Germany – one of the few cases where
bodies were moved across international frontiers. So far as can be
ascertained, all slain Canadian soldiers of the Rhineland battles,
who were buried in German battlefields, were reinterred here. General Crerar who
commanded Canadian forces in Europe, ordered that Canadian dead were not to be
buried in German soil.
The cemetery contains the largest number of Canadians, 2,350, interred in the
Netherlands and there are also 265 British burials. As it is the ―open‖ cemetery from the
Netherlands, these figures are slowly rising.
http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/groesbeek_war_cemetery.htm
Sergeant Aubrey Cosens was awarded the Victoria Cross (see following citation) and
is buried in VIII, H, 2:
―In Holland on the night of 25th-26th February 1945, the 1st
Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada launched an attack on
the hamlet of Mooshof, to capture ground which was considered
essential for the development of future operations.
Sergeant Cosens' platoon, with two tanks in support, attacked
enemy strong points in three farm buildings, but were twice beaten
back by fanatical enemy resistance and then fiercely counterattacked, during which time the platoon suffered heavy casualties and
the platoon commander was killed.
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Sergeant Cosens at once assumed command of the only other four survivors of
his platoon, whom he placed in a position to give him covering fire, while he himself ran
across open ground under heavy mortar and shell fire to the one remaining tank, where,
regardless of the danger, he took up an exposed place in front of the turret and directed
his fire.
After a further enemy counter-attack had been repulsed, Sergeant Cosens
ordered the tank to attack the farm buildings, while the four survivors of his platoon
followed in close support. After the tank had rammed the first building he entered it
alone, killing several of the defenders and taking the rest prisoner.
Single-handed he then entered the second and third buildings, and personally
killed or captured all the occupants, although under intense machine-gun and small arms
fire. Just after the successful reduction of these important enemy strong points, Sergeant
Cosens was shot through the head by an enemy sniper and died almost instantly.
The outstanding gallantry, initiative and determined leadership of this brave N.C.O., who
himself killed at least 20 of the enemy and took an equal number of prisoners, resulted in
the capture of a position which was vital to the success of the future operations of the
Brigade."
Holten Canadian War Cemetery
Holten is the site of one of the three Canadian war graves
cemeteries in the Netherlands maintained by the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Holten Canadian
War Cemetery is northeast of Arnhem, the site of a
disastrous British paratroop attack.
Buried at Holten are those who died in the closing stages of the 11-month campaign in
northwest Europe. After the end of the hostilities, the remains of those killed were
brought together in this cemetery. Nearly every unit of the 1st and 2nd Corps is
represented in the cemetery. There are 1,355 Canadians buried here (including one
sailor and three airmen).
The ceremony at Holten Canadian War Cemetery is an annual tradition, which is
conducted by the Dutch and centres on local schoolchildren.
The Liberation of Holten
The attack for control of Holten began at 9:30 a.m., Sunday April 8, 1945. With a
German defence stronger than anticipated, the centre of Holten was not reached as
soon as expected. It was house-to-house combat for the Canadians: the Calgary
Highlanders, Le Regiment de Maisonneuve and the Black Watch of Canada, with
support from the Fort Garry Horse armoured regiment. The town was clear by 8 p.m.
that night, and the Canadians continued en route to Groningen.
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National Aviation Theme Park Aviodrome
Experience 100 intriguing aviation years in the National
Aviation Theme Park Aviodrome at Lelystad Airport (just 45
minutes from Amsterdam). The Aviodrome, with its very large
collection of historic planes, is a unique aviation theme park.
The interactive Aviodrome exposition and the dynamic theme
park bring history back to life.
The 'time machine' takes visitors back to 1896, showing them key events in Dutch
aviation history on the way. Authentic Dutch aircraft are presented in beautiful displays
that, together with many visual and sound effects, provide the right period atmosphere.
When museum guests visit 'the 1930's' they can board the 'Pelikaan', a beautifully
simulated pre-war KLM Fokker airliner, to experience what air travel must have been like
in the early years of passenger air transport. In the 'top-down' theatre visitors take on the
role of passengers in a hot air balloon, flying over some of the most interesting sites in
the Netherlands. The size of the post-war passenger aircraft in the exhibition hall is
impressive. The concept of flight is explained in the 'aviation lab'; hands-on experiments
show how and why aircraft can fly.
Apart from the beautiful museum exhibition Aviodrome has much to offer. A 250-seat
movie theatre offers spectacular viewing of wide screen aviation films. In the T-2 hangar
outside, the Douglas DC-2 'Uiver', the last flying DC-2 in the world, can be seen. The
DC-2 will soon be joined by the Lockheed Constellation, a graceful airliner from the
1940's, which is also in flying condition. The Aviodrome boasts the largest replica in the
Netherlands: the Schiphol 1928 building. An exact replica of the 1920's Amsterdam
Airport terminal building. In the flight simulator the thrills of flying a jet fighter can be
experienced first hand.
ROTTERDAM
Rotterdam is the largest port in the world, the second city and the
industrial heart of the Netherlands and the economic, social and
cultural centre of the Rijnmond (‗Rhine Estuary‘) region. In
addition, Rotterdam is a city of modern architecture, events,
leisure and recreation. More than one million people from 162 countries live in the
Rotterdam region.
Rotterdam was founded in the mid 13th century after a dam had been constructed in the
River Rotte on the site of the present Hoogstraat. Rotterdam received municipal rights in
1340.
Over the centuries Rotterdam grew from a fishing village into an international centre of
trade, transport, industry and distribution. At the beginning of the Second World War, on
14 May 1940, virtually the entire city centre was devastated by a German bombardment.
This explains why scarcely any pre-war buildings have remained in this part of
Rotterdam. After the war, reconstruction of what had been destroyed was given the
highest priority. Now, many years later, a new, modern city centre has risen from the
ashes. The avant-garde architecture is famous at home and abroad.
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The city that is so unlike Holland's other cities. Located on the mighty Maas
River. Rotterdam is the largest port in the world. Being the ''Gateway to Europe''
Rotterdam has a hinterland of 500 million inhabitants. Its international orientation as a
port and the regeneration of its city centre have made Rotterdam a business city without
parallel.
Madurodam
The world-famous miniature city Madurodam presents
everything Holland is famous for, replicated to the
smallest detail on a scale of 1:25. It‘s an excellent way to
familiarise yourself with all the surprising features Holland
has to offer.
The Alkmaar cheese market, the Peace Palace of The
Hague, the Royal Palace on Dam Square and canal
houses of Amsterdam, the Cathedral Tower of Utrecht and parts of the world famous
Delta works. Everything you expect to find in Holland and much more has been
replicated to the smallest detail. And it‘s all in full movement too! Windmills turn,
aeroplanes land at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, sightseeing boats move down canals
and modern trains travel from city to city on the world‘s largest miniature railway.
VOLENDAM
Legend has it that the Volendam coat of arms is a compliment
to the beauty of the Volendam girls ! No wonder that a famous
singer sang the praise of this characteristic Dutch fishing
village in the words: "Anyone who wants to see the real beauty of Holland, goes to
Volendam". As a result of its completely insulated location, this village preserved its
character for six centuries, also because of the tough vitality of the fishermen. The
characteristic small houses, which together with the canals and the drawbridges form the
most picturesque spots, present the visitor an atmosphere of geniality and romance.
Don‘t forget to visit the Volendam museum with the ‘Sigarenbandjeshuis‘, where cigar
rings are on display.
ZAANDAM
The Zaanse Schans is a delightful old hamlet on the banks
of the river Zaan with characteristic green wooden houses,
charming stylized gardens, small hump-backed bridges,
tradesmen's workshops, historic windmills and engaging
little shops. This enchanting hamlet gives an excellent
impression of how a typical Zaanse village must have
looked like in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
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Apart from the cluster of windmills and houses there are also several museums,
restaurants and a visitors' centre to be found as well as the possibility of taking a boat
trip on the river. The Zaanse Schans has become one of the top tourist destinations in
the Netherlands
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