Liberation Route celebrates 70 years of freedom

On May 5, 1945, following a five year struggle to liberate German-occupied Netherlands, German forces surrendered to the First Canadian Army, a strike force made up of Canadian, British, Polish, American and Dutch troops. The whole country was liberated, and every year since the war, the Netherlands has sought to show gratitude to the more than 7,600 Canadians who died in the fight.

This year is the 70th anniversary of the Netherlands’ liberation, a significant date being celebrated by Dutch communities worldwide.

PAXnews.com met with Jeroen van Wieringen, press & communication officer for the Liberation Route Europe Foundation, who was visiting Canada to promote Liberation Route Europe (LRE), an international remembrance trail founded by the Netherlands in 2008.

“Right now, the Second World War is going from memory to history,” Wieringen told PAX. “We have some people left who are able to talk about it, but they will not be around forever, so it is very important for us to keep telling stories of this war.”

The LRE spans throughout six European countries, giving travellers the chance to experience the route taken by Allied Forces during the final phase of the Second World War. The route features innovative tourism products that connects travellers with history, promotes reflection on freedom and encourages consideration for the long-term consequences of war. 

One way in which the LRE does this is by utilizing modern technology to appeal to youth, including an app designed to be a virtual tour guide for travellers, which features audio and video stories, information on points of interest, historical events and biographies, and a navigation function.

Educational tours for schools are also available for booking on the Foundation’s website, which is available in five languages.

The LRE partners with tour operator OAD DMC to provide travellers with a variety of ways to experience destinations along the route, from day trips to multi-day tours. The LRE is also continuously growing and features a number of museums, universities, national parks and tourism boards on its route, as well as personal stories and important milestones from European history to provide a united history on World War II. In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands, the LRE will be promoting and partnering with a number of events throughout the Netherlands.

“Celebrations are very big this year,” Wieringen said, going on to outline the Foundation’s calendar, which includes partnerships with the Liberation Day Parade in Apeldoorn on May 9; the Wageningen 1945 commemorations (a collection of ceremonies, festivals and parades) on May 4-5; and the Frank Graham Cycle Tour, which will be passing through a Dutch section of the LRE on May 22.

The biggest focus, Wieringen said, of the Liberation Route Europe is to honour Canada and its veterans in a way that is appreciable by today’s youth, and to ensure that their sacrifices in the Netherlands are never forgotten.

“Freedom can never be taken for granted,” he said. “If people are able to hear personal stories, they might think about what happened back then, and it might be a reason for them to be a bit more gentle toward others.”

The 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands is also being celebrated by a number of other initiatives in the coming days:

May 1 - Holland Liberation Celebration 2015 – Province of Friesland

A 10-day tour of Holland organized by The Holland Liberation Friesland Committee and Verstraete Travel & Cruises that will fly more than 300 travellers (including 50 war veterans) on KLM from Canada to Amsterdam.

May 2 – ‘Thank You Canada’ Dutch Liberation Festival

A festival and military parade taking place in Nathan Phillips Square and throughout downtown Toronto, presented by the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with Dutch-Canadian community organizations. The parade takes place at 12 p.m. and will include more than 250 participants including veterans, war brides, military bands and authentic WWII vehicles. Opening ceremonies begin at Nathan Phillips Square at 2 p.m. and will feature a minute of silence, a Dutch market, a Kids’ Zone and a beer garden.

May 2 – Canadian-Netherlands Friendship Day

The 18th annual event celebrates Canada’s and the Netherland’s history with music, refreshments and art, taking place at Burlington City Hall at 11 a.m. The event will include a choir from the Netherlands, a colour guard from the Royal Canadian Legion and a flag raising.

For more information about the Liberation Route Europe, visit www.liberationroute.com or www.holland.com.