World War II In The Betuwe, The Netherlands

After the failure of Operation Market Garden in September 1944, the area between the rivers Waal and the Rhine became the new front line in World War II. This area, the Betuwe, had suffered little from the German invasion of the Netherlands. During the subsequent German occupation, the population did experience the necessary hardships, but that was nothing compared to what awaited them after September 1944.

World War II in the Betuwe, The Netherlands

Segunda Guerra Mundial en Betuwe, Holanda

Zweiter Weltkrieg in Betuwe, Niederlande

The fighting continued with heavy shelling from both sides. The civilian population was trapped in the midst of this war and soon the decision to evacuate the area was taken. In December 1944, the Germans had the Rijndijk near Driel burst so that the Betuwe was flooded in the winter of 1944-1945. It was called the operation ‘Stork’. The reason for this was that the English would not advance any further. This flooding had many consequences for the civilians and the livestock that remained behind. During that period a kind of no man’s land arose in our municipality and many German and English patrols fought here with each other, which cost the necessary losses on both sides.

Вторая мировая война в Бетуве, Нидерланды

Seconde Guerre Mondiale dans la Betuwe, aux Pays-Bas

Perang Dunia II di Betuwe, Belanda

Some 4,000 men refused to leave their livestock and other belongings. The area between the rivers Waal and Rhine became known as the “Manneneiland” (= Men’s Island), as almost all women and children had been evacuated and the land was surrounded by water. The Betuwe was liberated in April 1945. The inhabitants of the unfortunate area had experienced the war in full extent: the houses were damaged or destroyed, the lands flooded and many had lost friends and relatives. Liberation was a bitter experience for them.