Liberation Day - May 5, 1945
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 During
the last several weeks of the war, there were more and more signs that the
end was near. Any information we had at all was very sketchy and
unreliable as communications with the rest of the world was extremely
difficult and hazardous as it was illegal to have radios. We had little or
no knowledge even of what was happening in the rest of the country. For
example, it wasn't until recently, more than 55 years after the war ended,
that Ben showed me articles and photos from the Internet how Scheveningen
was used to fire V-1 and V-2 rockets at England. Some of these rockets
launches were not successful and crashed into Scheveningen's neighbourhoods. I did not
know that even though I lived in Scheveningen for 12 years after the war.
The Allies were so close to Amersfoort that they could shoot at the 90
meter high Onze Lieve Vrouwe Tower.
 The German troops placed a dummy at
the top of the Tower to fool the Allies into thinking that they were still
in control. This tower was quite close to where we lived. It may well have
been that the very last shot aimed at this tower that missed and hit our neighbour's tree. Part of the explosion hit the side of our house just as
we were all going downstairs to seek refuge in the basement. We were very
lucky nobody got hurt or killed as we were only a few meters away from the
impact. Another part of the bomb hit the roofs of three adjoining
buildings and the roof tiles landed in the middle of our vegetable garden.
That was an enormous loss as were were deep into the Hunger Winter. |
The German troops started to retreat and took cattle from the fields
with them. They used any means of transportation they could get their
hands on such as tubeless bicycles, baby carriages and carts. We stayed up
all night to watch them stream by below.  They all had to pass through the
narrow street in front of our place. We got all excited at the prospect of
peace when a German jeep carrying a white flag was traveling in the
opposite direction towards the front line. We did not know it at the time,
but they were on their way to Wageningen where the peace treaty was
signed. On the evening of the 4th of May, our neighbours, who were deeply
involved in the underground with telephone lines to Prins Bernhard, told
us that the war was over. We did not dare to believe it, we were afraid to
be disappointed and let down. But the next morning, May 5, 1945 Liberation
Day in Holland, the news was out as many secretly had radios in their
attics even though it had been strictly forbidden. The war was over!
People overcome with rejoice hung out the Dutch flags everywhere.
Passersby would salute the flag! For five years, we had gone without our
national pride. People were dancing in the street and crying with joy. The
people of Holland have a close relationship with the Dutch royal family
(The House of Orange). Their joy can be seen in the picture above where
Queen Wilhelmina greets everyone on her return from exile in England.
Crown princess Juliana resided in Ottawa, Canada during the war. |
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