On 1 September 2021, LRE Foundation’s Deputy Director, Jurriaan de Mol, and Project Manager, Joël Stoppels, presented from the historic location of the Airborne Museum Hartenstein four new local World War II-themed itineraries in the Airborne Region. This presentation was made in the presence of the press and of the four municipalities of Arnhem, Overbetuwe, Ede and Renkum to kick-off the Airborne Month, dedicated to the commemoration of the Operation Market Garden throughout the month of September.
These new local routes have been developed thanks to the long-lasting partnership among Toerisme Veluwe Arnhem Nijmegen, the Airborne Region and the LRE Foundation. They can be experienced by local inhabitants and tourists alike as part of the Liberation Route Europe, the certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe that connects people, places, and events to mark Europe’s liberation from occupation during World War II.
Find the 4 routes on the Liberation Route Europe website:
- The Poles of Driel is a hike past important sites in and around the city of Driel, where the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade fought during the Second World War.
- The Oosterbeek Perimeter Route takes you along the Western perimeter: a horseshoe-shaped line of defence around the city of Oosterbeek, in which British and Polish troops retreated during the Battle of Arnhem and held out under continuous German attacks for nine days.
- The Ede Drop Zone Route takes you across the landing zone of Ginkel Heath where two thousand paratroopers landed near the city of Ede. This act marked a crucial step for the liberation of the Netherlands.
- The Airborne City Tour Arnhem takes you through the centre of Arnhem and makes the failed Battle of Arnhem (which took place in September 1944) come alive through 25 ‘audio spots’. To immerse yourself further in the story, download the Airborne Stories app.
The unveiling of these new roads connected to the stories of Operation Market Garden was accompanied by a very emotional video message from British WW2 veterans who addressed the inhabitants of the Airborne region.
