Location
193 to 224 of 947 results
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Sluis Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen
Sluis Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen
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Boerderij naast de kerk
Boerderij naast de kerk
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De Schierstins Cultural History Centre
De Schierstins Cultural History Centre
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De Leijen Nature Reserve
De Leijen Nature Reserve
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B&B Einde van de wereld
B&B Einde van de wereld
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Kroesepaed Hiking Trail
Kroesepaed Hiking Trail
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De Taperij Burgum
De Taperij Burgum
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The liberation of Friesland 1
The liberation of Friesland 1
In early April, it became clear that the liberation of Friesland was imminent. Although the province had not suffered a real Hunger Winter like other parts of the Netherlands, there were severe shortages of just about everything. And the terror of the occupying forces was growing. This also led to increased resistance against the occupying forces. The battle between the two was tougher than ever in early 1945.
In Friesland, assault groups known as Knokploegen (KP) were responsible for most acts of resistance. But there were other groups too. On the orders of the Dutch government in London, all these groups were merged into the Dutch Domestic Armed Forces (NBS). In Friesland, this happened on 12 December 1944.
The NBS, popularly referred to as the BS, gave the armed resistance an organisation with a clear structure. The NBS was also supposed to play a role in the upcoming liberation. To this end, resistance groups were provided with weapons from autumn 1944. These were dropped from the air.
On 8 April, Radio Orange broadcast the message "The bottle is empty." This was the signal for the NBS to start carrying out sabotage operations 36 hours later. The aim was to make it as difficult as possible for the Germans to defend themselves against the approaching Allied forces.
The resistance did this by putting bridges and railways out of order, blocking waterways and blocking roads. The response of the occupying forces was ruthless. In retaliation, dozens more prisoners were shot at different times and places.Once the Canadians entered Friesland on 12 April, they were supported extremely effectively by the Frisian resistance. Because it was superbly organised, they were able to help the Canadians take control of important bridges, repair damaged bridges, and advise on the most favourable route.
By 18 April, the whole province was liberated except for the Wadden Islands (these were liberated in late May and in June). Compared to other provinces, there was little fighting in Friesland. Overall, the few thousand German troops who had been unable to flee Friesland were defeated by the Canadians relatively quickly.
The commander of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, Lieutenant Colonel Landell, praised the actions of the resistance by stating "Friesland liberated herself." While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, the actions of the Frisian resistance undoubtedly accelerated the liberation. And reduced the number of casualties on the Allied side.
In confrontations with German troops and their Dutch accomplices, at least 31 resistance fighters lost their lives. On the Allied side, at least eleven Canadians and one Frenchman were killed. The fighting and shelling also resulted in dozens of civilian casualties. The number of casualties on the German side is not known, but probably ran into the hundreds. With 320 houses destroyed and 4,000 damaged and 80 bridges destroyed, Friesland was materially the least damaged province in the Netherlands.
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Ooievaarsdorp
Ooievaarsdorp
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Gedicht: Dooide iispret | Hein Jaap Hilarides
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Vlieland - 2e Kroon's polder - Vogelkijkhut
Vlieland - 2e Kroon's polder - Vogelkijkhut
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Attack on the port of Oostmahorn
Attack on the port of Oostmahorn
The liberation of the north-eastern part of Friesland was not achieved without a struggle. The Dutch Domestic Armed Forces (NBS) and Canadian troops fought fierce battles, partly side by side. It was mainly occupiers fleeing in panic who caused fights and shootings that claimed victims on both sides. A fierce battle was also fought over the port of Oostmahorn.
After the liberation of Dokkum, Kollum and Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen, the attention of the Canadian troops turned to the port of Oostmahorn. It was the gateway to the island of Schiermonnikoog, which was part of the German defence line, the Atlantic Wall. This bulwark ran along the coasts of France to Norway. During the war, and extensive occupying force was stationed on the Wadden Island.
The village of Oostmahorn was "relieved" by the Dutch Domestic Armed Forces (NBS) on Saturday, 14 April, after the German Grenzschutz (border control) left in silence for Schiermonnikoog. Meanwhile, a group of more than a hundred fleeing SS and SD men and a dozen women crossed the Lauwerszee from Groningen near Zoutkamp with three boats to the island. A number of them were high-ranking SD members of the infamous Scholtenhuis in Groningen. When the NBS saw them sailing past from the port of Oostmahorn, shots were fired back and forth.
The German occupying forces on Schiermonnikoog then wanted to take revenge. The village and the port of Oostmahorn were attacked from the island for two hours on Monday, 16 April. A convoy of three Dutch boats left for the port with the aim of landing there. Meanwhile, the help of the B-Squadron of the Royal Canadian Dragoons (1st Armoured Carrier Regiment) in Dokkum had been called in. The attack was narrowly repelled, but two Canadian soldiers from a reconnaissance group were killed. A defence line of foxholes and armoured vehicles was erected around the village.
Further reinforcements were called in that day from Leeuwarden, where C Company of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders were sent to the coastal strip to patrol for German landing attempts.
After a brief but heavy shelling from the Canadians as a warning, a mediator was sent to the island the next day. The highest-ranking SD officer refused to surrender. They were waiting for an escape with a Schnell boat that was to take them to the German Wadden island of Borkum on 3 May. That turned out to be in vain, but in the meantime they kept the island occupied, even after the general capitulation of the whole of the Netherlands on 5 May.It was not until 11 June that two boats, the MS Waddenzee and the MS Brakzand, transported the last occupiers of Schiermonnikoog to the port of Oostmahorn. A column of army trucks packed with prisoners of war left the port under the guard of the Allies. From there they went to the POW camp in Beerta (Groningen).
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Harteluk
Harteluk
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Goddeloze Singel
Goddeloze Singel
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Antoniuskerk Surhuizum
Antoniuskerk Surhuizum
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Sint Annakerk Hantumhuizen
Sint Annakerk Hantumhuizen
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Openluchtzwembad De Sawn Stjerren
Openluchtzwembad De Sawn Stjerren
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De Houtwiel Nature Reserve
De Houtwiel Nature Reserve
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Johanneskerk Britsum
Johanneskerk Britsum
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Paviljoen de Leyen
Paviljoen de Leyen
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Bij de hoge houten trap over de zeedijk
Bij de hoge houten trap over de zeedijk
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Veerpont Gastvrij Grou (Grou Waterpark Yn ‘e Lijte)
Veerpont Gastvrij Grou (Grou Waterpark Yn ‘e Lijte)
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Uitzichtpunt met bank
Uitzichtpunt met bank
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Groenteboer Leistra
Groenteboer Leistra
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Doe eens Wad
Doe eens Wad
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Fries Landbouwmuseum (Frisian Agricultural Museum)
Fries Landbouwmuseum (Frisian Agricultural Museum)
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De 4 Elementen
De 4 Elementen
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De Mieden - Kijkheuvel met Vogelkijkscherm
De Mieden - Kijkheuvel met Vogelkijkscherm
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B&B 1774
B&B 1774
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Gedicht: Gean de striid oan al is it miskien ek mei it ferkearde wapen | Janneke Spoelstra
Gedicht: Gean de striid oan al is it miskien ek mei it ferkearde wapen | Janneke Spoelstra
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Museum Ruurd Wiersma Hûs
Museum Ruurd Wiersma Hûs
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Kerk Westernijtsjerk
Kerk Westernijtsjerk
