All German routes to bring in troops and equipment to the area west of the Maas in North and Central Limburg went through the Maas bridges at Venlo and Roermond. The threat to the liberated area in the east of North Brabant that had arisen after Operation Market Garden would not end until they were destroyed. That is why, from the end of September 1944, one Allied bombing raid after another followed on Venlo and the airfield on the outskirts of the city.
Unlike Roermond, the Venlo bridge was not hit. The beautiful historical centre, the Blerick district and various neighbourhoods did not escape the damage. Hundreds of civilians lost their lives. Famine was also a threat. The Germans took advantage of the food shortage to evacuate the city in January 1945. The inhabitants of Venlo began a long evacuation journey on foot and under harsh weather conditions. Several monuments and memorials recall the great suffering of war.
