The Netherlands in World War II

The last year

After the Allied landing in Normandy in June 1944, the western Allies rapidly advanced in the direction of the Dutch border. In September they tried to conquer the bridges over the main rivers (Operation Market Garden) but they failed in Arnhem. Tuesday September 5 is known as Dolle dinsdag (Mad Tuesday) - the Dutch began celebrating, believing they were close to liberation. But the northern part of the country above the Rhine river delta had to wait until 1945.

Related Topics:
Allied - Landing in Normandy - 1944 - Operation Market Garden - Arnhem - September 5 - Rhine - 1945

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However a part of the south of the Netherlands were not liberated either - the Germans still occupied Walcheren. From here they controlled the approach to the port of Antwerp. And the Allies needed a large supply port as the ports in Normandy were too limited and far away. On October 24 the Canadian 2nd Division took the Kreekkrakdam after some fierce fighting. The next day they were able to liberate the town of Rilland Bath. The Scottish 52nd Lowland Division landed on the south coast of Zuid-Beveland. On October 30 Zuid-Beveland was completely liberated.

Related Topics:
Walcheren - Antwerp - October 24 - Canadian 2nd Division - Rilland Bath - 52nd Lowland Division - Zuid-Beveland - October 30

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To capture the approaches to the port of Antwerp, the British and Canadians also needed Walcheren. But the strong German defense made a landing very difficult. Therefore the dikes of Walcheren at Westkapelle were bombed. Walcheren was flooded. In spite of warning the people with pamphlets, 180 inhabitants of Westkappelle died. The dikes at Vlissingen and Veere were bombed too.

Related Topics:
Westkapelle - Vlissingen - Veere

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The Dutch government did not want to use the old water line in 1940. It was still possible to create an island out of Holland by destroying dykes and flooding the polders, but this island contained the main cities. There were too many people to keep alive. However, Hitler ordered Festung Holland to be held at any price. The winter of 1944-1945 was very severe, and this lead to hunger journeys and people who starved to death, exhaustion, cold or disease. This winter is known as the Hongerwinter (Hungerwinter). The food situation was aggravated by a general railway strike ordered by the Dutch government in exile in expectation of a general German collapse near the end of 1944.

Related Topics:
Polder - Main cities - 1945 - Hongerwinter

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On the island of Texel 800 Georgians, part of the German army, rebelled on April 5 1945. Their rebellion was crushed by the German army after two weeks of battle. 565 Georgians, 120 inhabitants of Texel and 800 Germans died. The 228 surviving Georgians were forcibly repatriated after the war.

Related Topics:
Texel - Georgia - Rebelled - April 5 - 1945

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After the capture of the Rhine bridge at Remagen, Canadian forces entered the Netherlands from the east, liberating the eastern and northern provinces. The western provinces, where the situation was worst, however, had to wait until the surrender of German forces in the Netherlands was negotiated on the eve of May 5 1945 (three days before the general capitulation of Germany), in hotel De Wereld (The World) in Wageningen. Previously the Swedish Red Cross had been allowed to provide relief efforts, the most memorable ones employing Allied bombers dropping food over the German-occupied territories in Operation Manna.

Related Topics:
Rhine - Remagen - May 5 - 1945 - Wageningen - Red Cross - Operation Manna

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After liberation, Dutch citizens began taking the law in their own hands as in other liberated countries such as France. Collaborators and moffenmeiden(Hun's girls) were abused and humiliated in public, usually by having their heads shaven and painted orange.

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