On April 13, 1945, soldiers of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division began the liberation of the city of Groningen. Acting under orders from German Festung Holland commander Johannes Blaskowitz, the German troops defended the city with determination.
For four days, intense street fighting raged in and around Groningen. Each street had to be cleared one by one, and the northern and eastern sides of the Grote Markt were completely destroyed. More than 270 buildings were reduced to rubble.
On April 16, 1945, the German commander finally surrendered. The battle for Groningen was over, but it had come at a high cost: 43 Canadian soldiers and 110 civilians lost their lives.
This trail follows the path of the Canadian advance through the city, from the Zuiderdiep to the Grote Markt and the former State Archives on Sint Jansstraat, where the last German troops surrendered. Along the way, you will discover locations that still bear visible traces of the fierce fighting that took place here in April 1945.
Address
Martinikerkhof 3, 9712 JG Groningen
