Near Mesch in Eijsden, Limburg, Netherlands — Northwestern Europe
Welcome to Holland
— Liberation Route Europe —
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, October 28, 2023
1. Welcome to Holland Marker
'Welcome in Holland'
Ruim drie maanden na de landing in Normandie steekt de 30ste Amerikaanse Infanterie Divisie, bijgenaamd Old Hickory, 's morgens vroeg op 12 september 1944 vlak boven Visé de Belgisch-Nederlandse grens over. De bevrijding van Nederland neemt eindelijk een aanvang. In Mesch is hoofd der school Sjef Warnier ondanks de gevechten bovenal nieuwsgierig...
De provincie Limburg speelde een belangrijke rol tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Hier begon de bevrijding van Nederland, die gepaard ging met felle gevechten tussen de geallieerde en Duitse strijdkrachten. Ook startte hier de doorbraak naar Duitsland: het Rijnlandoffensief. Burgers raakten verwikkeld in dit oorlogsgeweld, een roulette die draaide om overleven of niet, om vreugde en verdriet. Als u de Liberation Route volgt hoort u hun belevenissen. Het verhaal van deze plek kunt u beluisteren via 0900-54 23 728 of gratis downloaden vanaf www.liberationroute.com of scan de QR-code.
'Welcome to Holland'
It is early in the morning on 12th September 1944, approximately
this page online
The province of Limburg played an important role in the Second World War. It was from here that the allied forces commenced the final push into Germany: the Rhineland Offensive which made possible the liberation of the Netherlands. For the civilians of the province it was an unpredictable time; a time of severe fighting and the contradictions of war: life and death, sadness and joy. Hear their stories as you travel along the Liberation Route. You can download the story for this location at www.liberationroute.com or scan the QR code.
(German:)
'Welcome in Holland'
Rund drei Monate nach der Landung in der Normandie überquert die 30. Amerikanische Infanteriedivision, auch Old Hickory genannt, am frühen Morgen des 12. September 1944 nördlich von Visé die belgisch-niederländische Grenze. Die Befreiung der Niederlande nimmt endlich ihren Anfang. In Mesch ist Schulleiter Sjef Warnier trotz der Kämpfe vor allem neugierig...
Die Provinz Limburg spielte während des Zweiten Weltkriegs
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, October 28, 2023
2. Welcome to Holland Marker - wide view
The marker is visible here, mounted to a low rock next to an observation tower. One may climb up the tower. There are parking spaces for 3-4 cars. The border with Belgium is less than 200 meters to the east of this location.
Erected by Stichting Liberation Route Europe, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Provincie Limburg, Gemeente Eijsden-Margraten, VVV Midden-Limburg. (Marker Number 212.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is September 12, 1944.
Location. 50° 46.391′ N, 5° 44.856′ E. Marker is near Mesch, Limburg, in Eijsden. Marker is on Heiweg, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mesch, Limburg 6265 NL, Netherlands. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Het Eerste Bevrijde Cafe / The First Liberated Cafe (approx. 1.6 kilometers away); Mesch Liberation Monument (approx. 1.6 kilometers away); Leonard J. Hoffman (approx. 1.6 kilometers away); Leonard J. Hoffman Memorial (approx. 1.6 kilometers away); John Knottenbelt (approx. 1.7 kilometers away); De Vlucht van Keizer Wilhelm II / The Flight of Kaiser Wilhelm II (approx. 2.6 kilometers away); Opvang Belgische vluchtelingen / Asylum for Belgian Refugees (approx. 2.7 kilometers away); Martin H. Wolfs Memorial (approx. 2.7 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mesch.
Also see . . . Welcome in Holland (Liberation Route Europe). The QR code leads to a page, with its information excerpted below.
Excerpt: Following the Normandy landings on 6th June 1944, there was an unimaginable number of soldiers working day and night to liberate Europe from the German occupying forces. It took them more than three months to eventually reach the Netherlands from the beaches of Normandy.(Submitted on November 27, 2023.)
They fought heavily with the Germans during numerous battles at different places along the way. The Germans had no intention of surrendering, and put up unexpected and stiff resistance. This made the planned advance towards the Netherlands more difficult than anticipated.
However, early in the morning on 12th September 1944, the men of the American 30th Infantry Division finally crossed the Belgian-Dutch border just north of Visé. Seeds of doubt were sown in the minds of the German troops stationed in the region, and they had little choice. It was either retreat and retreat and run the risk of on-the-spot execution, stay put and be taken prisoner, or worse still: not living to tell the tale.
In Mesch, people could hear the loud rattling of the German troops clearly retreating with horse-drawn carriages filled to the brim with everything and anything of value that they could find. They were filled with fright at the sight of an American reconnaissance plane circling overhead. They wondered how far away the Americans were and decided to take cover in the village orchards and seize café van Hoven as field hospital. With their hearts in their mouths, they waited to see what would happen.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 20, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 58 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 27, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
