After the Allied airborne landings near Arnhem and Nijmegen, the small town on the River Niers was engulfed by the violence of war from the end of September 1944 onwards. Gennep was ravaged for months by increasingly heavy shelling, and the German troops did not know what to do. They dug in and built defences everywhere. The inhabitants were forced to leave. Following heavy fighting, British troops liberated Gennep on 12 February 1945, which had by then been largely destroyed, depopulated and plundered.After the Allied airborne landings near Arnhem and Nijmegen, the small town on the River Niers was engulfed by the violence of war from the end of September 1944 onwards. Gennep was ravaged for months by increasingly heavy shelling, and the German troops did not know what to do. They dug in and built defences everywhere. The inhabitants were forced to leave. Following heavy fighting, British troops liberated Gennep on 12 February 1945, which had by then been largely destroyed, depopulated and plundered.<iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xMApaEbS10U?showinfo=0"></iframe>

The Netherlands

Gennep and the price of freedom 

The great Rhineland Offensive got underway on 8 February 1945, with the objective of securing a passage for the troops across the Rhine, occupying the Rhineland and ultimately pushing on to Berlin. On this momentous day, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops departed from Nijmegen and elsewhere, heading over the border to Germany via the Ooijpolder and over the Groesbeek hills. This operation was named Operation Veritable. One of the bloodiest battles fought during the Rhineland Offensive was the Battle of the Reichswald, to the south of Kleve (Cleves).The walking tour connects two cemeteries that are the final resting place of a large part of the Allied soldiers who fell during Operation Veritable in the Nijmegen and Rhineland areas: the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery and the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. The route runs through meadows, the (former front-line) village of Groesbeek, over the German border and through the infamous Reichswald forest.

The Rhineland Offensive 

On 17 September 1944 Operation Market Garden was launched. On the first day alone, around 8,000 paratroopers were dropped over Groesbeek with orders to seize the region and the bridges over the river Waal. Here, in the Dutch-German border region, is where the front line was. When the Operation failed in Arnhem, the Allied forces were unable to continue their advance north and had to stay in the Nijmegen area for months before advancing into Germany as part of the Rhineland Offensive in February 1945.The route through the Groesbeek landing area takes walkers past farms that provided cover when this area was the front line, and across hills that were of great strategic importance during Operation Market Garden and Operation Veritable. Walkers will find different reminders of the war here: a plaque commemorating a fallen US military aircraft, a column marking the spot where Operation Veritable started, but also the Foxhill ice cream farm, which has adopted the American spelling of Voxhill. The walk ends at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, which is a point where walkers can reflect and commemorate the liberators.The route is easy to get to by bus from Nijmegen and convenient to combine with other routes or with a visit to Groesbeek’s Freedom Museum, where you can learn even more about this area’s World War II history.

Groesbeek Landing Area

Nijmegen has many stories to tell about the war. Especially during the last war period, the city played a leading role on the world stage with both Operation Marker Garden and the Rhineland Offensive. There were fierce battles for freedom in the city, and later, the Allied troops started their march to Berlin from the city. Even before that, the city was under occupation, and experienced war. The route passes a variety of monuments, which, for example, recall the persecution of Jews or the bombing of 22 February 1944. Also, the resistance, the battle for the bridges and for the liberation of the city during Operation Market Garden in September 1944 are highlighted. Straight through the historic city centre and along the Waalkade, this is a diverse route that brings different stories together. The route starts and ends at the Infocentre WW2 Nijmegen, where the stories of Nijmegen and its surrounding areas&nbsp;during the war are explained in detail.

Nijmegen during the War

Quando le Screaming Eagles della 101a divisione aviotrasportata furono accerchiate dai tedeschi a Bastogne, le condizioni erano proibitive per i soldati americani. Già a corto di munizioni, di cibo e di abbigliamento adeguato per il freddo, i cieli nuvolosi impedivano l’arrivo di approvvigionamenti per via aerea. I rinforzi erano a una settimana di distanza da Bastogne.&nbsp;Un attacco aereo lanciato sulla stazione di soccorso eliminò gran parte della compagnia medica e ferì molti soldati. Sebbene gli americani fossero in netta inferiorità numerica, il generale McAuliffe ordinò ai suoi uomini di formare un perimetro di 360 gradi attorno ai cannoni del 333° Battaglione di artiglieria. Le truppe comunicarono rapidamente e si misero in posizione per contrastare le truppe d’attacco tedesche. La battaglia andò avanti così a lungo.&nbsp;Quando il comandante tedesco Lüttwitz intimò la resa delle truppe americane, il generale McAuliffe rispose: “Al comandante tedesco. Mai!” Alla fine, i cieli si aprirono e i rifornimenti aerei raggiunsero Bastogne. I soldati rimasti senza munizioni furono salvati dai velivoli di soccorso. Dopo il suo arrivo, Patton riuscì a neutralizzare l’offensiva tedesca delle Ardenne. Tuttavia, questa controffensiva non sarebbe stata possibile senza la strenua difesa di Bastogne da parte delle Screaming Eagles.

Belgium 

La Zona Di Bastogne

Le isole della Manica furono l’unica regione del Regno Unito occupata dalle forze armate tedesche durante la seconda guerra mondiale. L’occupazione di Jersey ebbe inizio il 1 luglio 1940, mentre la Liberazione avvenne il 9 maggio 1945. Dall’autunno del 1941 fino al 1943, circa 6000 lavoratori stranieri - uomini e donne - furono deportati sull’isola dall’Organizzazione Todt (OT) contro la loro volontà e costretti a prendere parte alla costruzione di fortificazioni in cemento. I lavoratori deportati a Jersey provenivano da numerosi paesi tra cui Spagna, Francia, Belgio, Olanda, Cecoslovacchia, Polonia, Algeria, Marocco, oltre ai cittadini dell’ex Unione Sovietica, in particolare russi, ucraini e bielorussi. Venivano suddivisi in due categorie: i lavoratori dell’Europa occidentale e del Nord Africa venivano arruolati o diventavano lavoratori forzati, ma erano pagati e liberi di muoversi nell’isola al di fuori dell’orario di lavoro fino al coprifuoco. I cittadini sovietici, a causa dell’etnia slava, erano considerati schiavi: non ricevevano alcun compenso, venivano tenuti prigionieri, ricevevano le razioni più scarse e molto spesso erano vittime di violenza.Questo percorso si concentra principalmente sull’esperienza dei lavoratori forzati e schiavi, ma include anche i luoghi che facevano parte dell’infrastruttura dell’Organizzazione Todt (OT).

Jersey

Il Percorso Dei Lavoratori Forzati A Jersey

Nel settembre 1944 le forze alleate avevano raggiunto la linea che va dal Lussemburgo ad Anversa. Allora Hitler decise di iniziare un'ultima controffensiva nelle Ardenne. Dovette aspettare che le cattive condizioni meteorologiche, con nuvole e nebbia, impedissero agli Alleati di utilizzare la loro superiore forza aerea. Alla fine, la battaglia fu lanciata il 16 dicembre 1944 e la 6a Armata Panzer SS, la 5a Armata corazzata e la 7a Armata di Brandenberger marciarono nelle Ardenne. Con questa operazione, denominata in codice Wacht am Rhein, Hitler voleva dividere gli eserciti alleati con una controffensiva a sorpresa. Voleva impadronirsi dei ponti sul fiume Mosa per avanzare ulteriormente via Liegi verso il porto di Anversa.Gli americani furono completamente sorpresi, ma a differenza della campagna offensiva del maggio 1940, l'offensiva delle Ardenne non fu un successo immediato. Le condizioni meteorologiche erano peggiori, l'aviazione alleata era molto più potente e le scorte di carburante tedesche scarseggiavano. Il 23 dicembre il tempo cominciò a schiarirsi. A metà gennaio 1945 la mancanza di carburante costrinse i tedeschi ad abbandonare i loro veicoli, il che fu fatale per le ambizioni di Hitler. Il 25 gennaio 1945 la battaglia era finita. La battaglia del Bulge fu l'operazione più costosa mai combattuta dall'esercito americano: 10.733 soldati americani furono uccisi e 42.316 feriti. Le perdite tedesche ammontarono a 12.652 morti e 38.600 feriti. Circa 2.500 civili persero la vita in Belgio e 500 nel Granducato di Lussemburgo.<iframe class="ql-video" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3VcxgN1dH2U?showinfo=0" frameborder="0"></iframe>

La battaglia del Bulge

La battaglia causò innumerevoli perdite ad entrambe le parti. La foresta di Hürtgen era costituita da fitti boschi, cime spoglie e gole profonde e le forti piogge, le nevicate e la mancanza di strade la rendevano particolarmente difficile da penetrare. La battaglia si svolse tra metà settembre 1944 e metà febbraio 1945, concludendosi con la vittoria degli Alleati. Per I G.I. americani, il nome stesso della foresta – con la sua prima sillaba “hurt” (ferita)- divenne sinonimo di lesione o di morte. Ancora oggi, centinaia di soldati di entrambe le parti risultano dispersi e i loro resti continuano a essere ritrovati.

Germany

La battaglia della foresta di Hürtgen

At the starting point of this route is the landmark 'Windows on the Past', a work of art that gives an impression of the Airborne landings on 18 September 1944. At the foot of the artwork is information about the Battle of Arnhem. The walk then leads over well trodden paths through a nature reserve that is beautiful in all seasons. Forest and heathland can be admired in all their facets. You may be lucky enough to see a flock of sheep and be sure to allow time for a visit to the Heidebloemplas at information panel 2. The area around the sheep pen was originally farmland. Diagonally behind the sheepfold you can still see a piece of grassland and the wooded bank with oak trees. Due to overgrazing, the shifting sands, which were later brought under control by the construction of fences and planting of woods, were created.

Dropzone Ede

It is September 1944. Arnhem has been occupied by Nazi Germany for four years. The Allied advance has begun, but the front is far away in France. The storm of war seems to be passing Arnhem by.The war in Arnhem&nbsp;Then Operation Market Garden erupted. The largest airborne operation the world has ever seen. Allied troops tried to seize the bridges over the major rivers in one fell swoop. This includes the bridges at Arnhem. The city suddenly becomes a grim front area. There is fighting from house to house. After the fighting, nearly 100,000 people leave their homes in a great hurry. Operation Market Garden comes to a halt and Arnhem is left as a ghost town.

The war in Arnhem 

Operation Market Garden was an Allied offensive, from September 17th until September 26th 1944, during the Second World War. Aerial troops had to capture and hold different bridges over rivers and canals in The Netherlands before they would be supported by ground troops. One of the targets was the Rijnbrug in Arnhem. The German resistance around Arnhem appeared to be much heavier than was expected and it was one of the reasons why the almost 12,000 British and Polish troops couldn’t conquer the bridge.&nbsp;On the 20th of September, Allied troops had to retreat to Oosterbeek. In this village, the perimeter was formed: a horseshoe shaped defense line in and around the village, close to the river Rhine. In the following days, heavy fighting took place within the perimeter. It was difficult to supply the troops in the perimeter and therefore the soldiers faced a severe deficiency in food, medical supplies and ammunition. Lots of soldiers were wounded or had been killed in the ongoing battles. On September 25th, the supplies had run out completely and it became clear that the ground troops could not reach them on time anymore. The remaining troops had to retreat by crossing the river Rhine. 2,400 soldiers reached the safe area at the other side of the river, leaving the wounded and medical staff behind. 6,500 British and Polish troops were captured and taken as prisoners of war. About 1,900 men died.&nbsp;&nbsp;The inhabitants of Oosterbeek had to hide in the cellars during these days in order to avoid the danger, but here too casualties were inevitable. After the battles, Oosterbeek was destroyed and the inhabitants had to be evacuated.&nbsp;The perimeter route passes locations of fierce battles, heroic actions, old farmhouses, former emergency hospitals and testimonies of the war that are still visible in the landscape today.

The Perimeter

This hike passes important milestones in the village of Driel where the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade fought during the Second World War. They were here to support the surrounded British troops near Oosterbeek. To reach the British troops, the Poles had to cross the River Rhine at Driel. The route – of about 6 kilometres – takes you, amongst others, over the landing sites and past the headquarters of Major General Sosabowski. The hike starts and ends at the ‘Information Centre: The Poles of Driel’ which was developed by the Driel Poland Foundation.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe class="video" width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXOjdIv356A" start="0"></iframe></div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/55lfsvMVyb0?showinfo=0" frameborder="0" class="ql-video"></iframe>

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