Bevrijdingsdag: Dutch Citizens Celebrating Liberation Of The Netherlands, 1945
Via: legermuseum
The above photograph captures Dutch citizens celebrating the liberation of the Netherlands from German forces in May, 1945.
Since the ending of World War II, the Netherlands has celebrated Liberation Day (Dutch: Bevrijdingsdag) on May 5th, commemorating the end of occupation by Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1945.
From Wikipedia:
"The nation was liberated largely by the First Canadian Army, which included in addition to Canadian forces the British I Corps, and the 1st Polish Armoured Division, as well as, at various times, American, Belgian, Dutch and Czechoslovak troops. Parts of the country, in particular the south-east, were liberated by the British Second Army, which included American and Polish airborne forces, (Operation Market Garden) and French airbornes (Operation Amherst).
Via: legermuseum
On 5 May 1945, the Canadian General Charles Foulkes and the German Commander-in-Chief Johannes Blaskowitz reached an agreement on the capitulation of German forces in the Netherlands in Hotel de Wereld in Wageningen. One day later, the capitulation document was signed in the auditorium of Wageningen University, located next door.
Via: legermuseum
After the liberation in 1945, Liberation Day was commemorated every 5 years. Finally, in 1990, the day was declared to be a national holiday, when the liberation would be commemorated and celebrated every year."
