Grote Markt in Groningen, Netherlands — Northwestern Europe
De bevrijding van Groningen / The Liberation of Groningen Memorial
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 17, 2023
1. De bevrijding van Groningen / The Liberation of Groningen Memorial Marker
(Then from war and fire rose the clear crystal of peace)
Ter herdenking van de bevrijding van Groninger, door Canadese strijdkrachten
1945 13-16 april 1970
In commemoration of the liberation of Groningen by Canadian armed forces
1945 13-16 April 1970
Erected 1970.
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II.
Location. 53° 13.107′ N, 6° 34.036′ E. Marker is in Groningen. It is in Grote Markt. Memorial is on Grote Markt, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Grote Markt 1, Groningen 9711 LV, Netherlands. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Groningen Municipal Council Members Memorial (a few steps from this marker); De Drie Gezusters / The Three Sisters (within shouting distance of this marker); Goudkantoor (within shouting distance of this marker); Carl von Rabenhaupt (within shouting
this page online
More about this memorial. The memorial is located at the south east corner of the Groningen Stadhuis / City Hall.
Also see . . .
1. Battle of Groningen, April, 1945 (McMaster University).
Excerpt: The German garrison commander surrendered at noon on April 16th when it was clear that further resistance was useless. The next day, the last holdouts laid down their weapons and joined their comrades as prisoners, totalling 95 officers and 5,117 other ranks. The 2nd Canadian Division had suffered 43 fatalities and another 166 wounded. In addition to this, 110 civilians had been fatally caught in the crossfire. This was a high price to pay at this late stage of the war. However, it must be remembered that 4.5 million people in the western part of the Netherlands had been cut off from all(Submitted on December 14, 2023.)food supplies since the Market Garden operations and were rapidly nearing the point of starvation. Supplies had to reach them soon. Despite the civilian casualties and the destruction of 270 buildings, the city of 124,000 in 1940 (which had swelled to over 150,000 by 1945 due to refugees from the southern provinces) gratefully accepted the cost of liberation. One of the buildings to survive the battle was the University of Groningen. One of the oldest and largest universities in the Netherlands, the University of Groningen was established in 1614, and today houses a Canadian Studies Centre. In 1995, the city of Groningen set aside six hectares of land to establish a liberation park of Maple Leaf trees. On each Remembrance Day its citizens plant more, in the hope of creating a forest of living, lasting memory of those who paid the price for their freedom.Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 17, 20232. De bevrijding van Groningen / The Liberation of Groningen Memorial - wide view
2. The Battle of Groningen (1945) (YouTube, 6:48). Full title: The Battle of Groningen (1945) – The Last Major City Battle during the Liberation of the Netherlands (Submitted on December 14, 2023.)
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 17, 2023
3. Memorial detail: Then from war and fire rose the clear crystal of peace
Credits. This page was last revised on December 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 68 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 14, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
