124. Europe Bicycle Trip--The National Liberation Museum in Groesbeek

Today is Day45, May 31st, 2014, Saturday. I had breakfast with Toos and then left Leuth to head toward Velden.

Thank you for your hospitality, Toos

Seeing these poppies was appropriate for what I saw later in the morning.

An old bunker

A pretty scene

Sisters Trudy and Ria were out for a bicycle ride together today.

I reached the big city of Groesbeek.

I passed by this Museum called National Bevrijdings Museum-1944-1945

Certificate of 25th anniversary

Europe is being taken over.

May 10,1940 German army invades Holland

German paratroopers landing near The Hague, May 10, 1940

Queen Wilhelmina's speech for Radio Orange in England

Bombardment of Rotterdam, May 14, 1940

Waal bridge at Nijmegen, Sept. 21, 1944

Wacos towed by C47s over Bergeijk. Once cast adrift , the Wacos descended with a speed of 400 feet per minute. Afterwards the cables were jettisoned by the  C-47s

Waco gliders and C-47 tugs

C-47s towed the Wacos at the end of a  100 meter long towrope. The production of these cables was one of the reasons of the shortage of nylon in United States.

A sad scene

German Occupation Policy- Feb. 1941 to spring 1943---After members of  NSB and Amsterdam jews had clashed several times, the Nazis held a roundup on Feb. 22/23, 1941 and arrested 425 Jews and deported them to concentration camps. In reaction a protest strike erupted in Amsterdam that had to be stopped. Afterwards, German occupation policies hardened. The Jews had to wear yellow stars. In Amsterdam , they were isolated in ghettos and throughout the country, Jews were transported to concentration camps. Dutch goods and labour were increasingly used for war purposes.

Raid on Jonas Daniel square, Amsterdam, Feb.22/23, 1941

Titus Brandma--”Accept it, forgive it and let it go”,   A Dutch priest who wrote “My Cell”  He was taken by the Germans and brought to the Scheveningen jail referred to as “Oranje Hotel” before being deported to Dachau where he died.

A simple bed

The only dishes

Written on the wall

Counting off the days on the wall

A New Testament-God's word was his only consolation.

Artwork of Henri Pieck

The underground -very active

Suitcase printing press used for making underground papers

Busy at work making new documents

They were active in getting food stamps for some people to use.

The first folding bicycle was maybe that used by soldiers during the war.

Loading the equipment

Many soldiers gave their lives.

Action in many places

Liberation of Maastricht, Sept. 14, 1944

Gliders after the war--The parts  were used for various purposes. They covered shattered windows, Wheels were mounted under carts. Fuselage tubes were used to make artificial legs for those that had stepped on a mine and lost  leg. The rear frame of a fuselage was used as a mounting for a windmill.

Local boys from Groesbeek on carts made from glider parts. (Waco steering wheels used as rear wheels.)

I learned a lot about the Netherlands during the war.

I didn't feel much like having my picture here.

Last impression. I did not have time to go to the cemetery as I had a bit of cycling to do now because I was here for an hour.