Month: November 2016

The Liberation Route Europe, an international remembrance trail that connects important milestones of the Second World War, has launched the American Friends of the Liberation Route Europe. This fund will create awareness about the American experience in Europe, honoring the brave men who went to Europe to liberate occupied countries from the Nazis. Over 400,000 didn’t survive. We need to tell their stories, and share a message of peace and freedom that were hard won and must be protected.

Executive Director of Liberation Route Europe Foundation Victoria van Krieken, said: “War is not only ‘black and white’, not only about victory and loss. We want to show the world that every country that was involved in the Second World War had, and has, its own stories to tell. We also want to show the people of the United States how grateful we still are because of what those brave soldiers did over seventy years ago.” Along the Liberation Route Europe, you will find lots of stories about American soldiers, and is a great opportunity for all Americans to experience the personal stories of their fellow countrymen when visiting Europe.

‘We must honor, we must remember and we must bear witness, together’

As a non-profit organization, the Liberation Route Europe Foundation works continuously on the expansion of its route. Liberation Route Europe is dedicated to preserve the memory of those who gave their lives in order to end the Second World War and bring Europe peace, freedom, democracy and reconciliation. It connects this history with life in modern-day Europe. Multi-perspective narratives are vital in order to fully examine the complexity of World War II’s heritage.

Including the American perspective with the opening of the American Friends Fund is very important to Liberation Route Europe. As part of this mandate it is imperative to tell the stories of Americans who sacrificed their lives to help liberate Europe, particularly as they died so far from home. First steps have already been taken, including partnerships with the National WWII Museum in New Orleans and contacts with the American Battle Monuments Commission.

About Liberation Route Europe: Founded in 2008, Liberation Route Europe reaches across national borders across Europe to examine the complex heritage of World War II from multiple historical perspectives and promote peace and reconciliation. The Dutch vfonds (National Fund for Peace, Freedom and Veteran Care) is supporting the Liberation Route Europe.

For more information, visit www.liberationroute.com, or find us on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) at ‘@liberationroute’. For more information about the American Friends Fund, visit www.liberationroute.com/donate-usa.

 

 

Liberation Route Europe (LRE) has signed a destination contract together with the public and private partners of the remembrance tourism sector in Normandy. By signing this agreement, LRE officially joins this regional network of destination partners and in this capacity it will serve as their European extension.

The signatory parties, that consists of national and regional authorities, tourism boards and museums, will strengthen their ties in developing the Normandy region as one of the leading remembrance tourism destinations in Europe. Together they bring to mind the important role Normandy has played in the construction of modern Europe and lasting peace. Today the museums and sites representing the historical Battle of Normandy generate already more than 5 million visitors a year.

The director of the Liberation Route Europe Foundation, Victoria van Krieken, is very delighted with signing this document. “Since four years Normandy is one of our key partners throughout Europe that combines World War II remembrance with international tourism in a unique way”, she tells. “It is important for us to commit to this high level initiative and to jointly develop this unique way of bringing the many stories of war and liberation to a wide audience across the world”.

Next to the economical development of the Normandy region the partners also commit themselves to putting forward the universal and eternal values of peace, democracy and reconciliation. According to Victoria Van Krieken, “the LRE aligns itself to these values and is therefore an ideal partner for the region in passing on the memory of World War II to the public at a larger international scale.”

Liberation Route Europe
The Liberation Route Europe follows in the footsteps of the Western Allies in 1944 and 1945. The remembrance trail runs through Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Poland. Experience the personal stories of the time and reflect on the price that was paid for a free Europe. The Liberation Route Europe consists of a multidisciplinary network including relevant museums, tourism organisations, governments and historians. Together, they want to keep the memory of World War II alive. You can find out more about the struggle for freedom on the website and app, available in five languages. For more information, see www.liberationroute.com. Thanks to the support of the Dutch vfonds (National Foundation for Peace, Freedom and Veteran Support), the Liberation Route Europe Foundation can work continuously on the expansion of its route and products.