Location
129 to 160 of 397 results
-
Landal Esonstad
Landal Esonstad
-
Greenjoy Earnewâld
Greenjoy Earnewâld
-
Gasthuis Dokkum
Gasthuis Dokkum
-
Thermen & Beauty Leeuwerikhoeve
Thermen & Beauty Leeuwerikhoeve
-
Alexander Church Rinsumageast
Alexander Church Rinsumageast
-
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).
-
-
St. Boniface's Church Damwâld
St. Boniface's Church Damwâld
-
Logementen Jannum
Logementen Jannum
-
Camping De Stjelp
Camping De Stjelp
-
The Former Weigh House
The Former Weigh House
A look at old photographs reveals that the building looks even more attractive today than its predecessor. The people of Kollum have taken good care of this historic landmark. The weigh house was a public building where goods could be officially weighed. Its presence was particularly important for trade in butter and cheese.
A public weigh house in Kollum is first mentioned in the 16th century. That original building stood next to the Rechthuis (courthouse). In 1779, a new weigh house was built here on the Westerdiepswal, at the heart of the bustling waterfront. The wide entrance to the former weighing hall, where two weighing scales were once installed, can still be clearly recognised in the façade.
The pediment above the façade bears the coats of arms and names, added in 1779, of grietman (district magistrate) Martinus van Scheltinga, his deputy Focke Hijlckes Eskes, and Albert Luitjens, who served together with Eskes as church warden. The building was owned by the Dutch Reformed Church, which leased out the weigh house. In 1871 it was sold to a private owner, after which an official weighmaster appointed by the municipality supervised its operation. With the rise of the dairy industry in Friesland, the weigh house gradually lost its function. In 1895, the building was converted into a private residence.
-
-
Varen met Sil
Varen met Sil
-
Eleven Cities Tour sculpture Aukje near Dokkum
Eleven Cities Tour sculpture Aukje near Dokkum
-
Villa Nova
Villa Nova
-
Grutte Pier Brewery
Grutte Pier Brewery
-
The lock at Iezumasyl
The lock at Iezumasyl
-
BnB Slaap Lekker
BnB Slaap Lekker
-
De 4 Elementen
De 4 Elementen
-
De Ferbining
De Ferbining
-
Makkum War Memorial
Makkum War Memorial
By 16 April, the major part of Friesland had been liberated. But some important targets of the Canadians had not yet been achieved. They wanted to win the Frisian ports and the Head of the Afsluitdijk from the Germans as quickly as possible. But they would be hard fought. Both the ports and the Afsluitdijk were used by German soldiers to escape to North Holland.
As elsewhere in Friesland, the Canadians were helped by resistance fighters from the Dutch Domestic Armed Forces (N.B.S.) They suffered several casualties near Makkum. On 16 April, Schelte Bruinsma and Simon Sipma were killed in an attack on a farm in which the Germans had entrenched themselves. The next day, another group tried to occupy a bridge under Makkum. However, the Germans caught sight of them and in the ensuing gunfight, Rinnert Anema, Roelof van der Meer and Hendrik Postma were killed. Makkum was liberated on 18 April, as one of the last villages in Friesland.
The monument at the Buren in Makkum was unveiled in 1952 in commemoration of the members of the Dutch Domestic Armed Forces who were killed around the village during the struggle for liberation.
-
-
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.
-
-
Tourist Information Earnewâld
Tourist Information Earnewâld
-
Campground Achterom
Campground Achterom
-
Electrosloop Fryslân (Aldtsjerk)
Electrosloop Fryslân (Aldtsjerk)
-
www.huyske.com
www.huyske.com
-
B&B Oan't Wetter
B&B Oan't Wetter
-
De Houtwiel Nature Reserve
De Houtwiel Nature Reserve
-
Landal Waterpark De Alde Feanen
Landal Waterpark De Alde Feanen
-
Alde Feanen Rentals
Alde Feanen Rentals
-
National Park 'Lauwersmeer'
National Park 'Lauwersmeer'
-
Eleven Cities Tour sculpture Aukje in Bolsward
Eleven Cities Tour sculpture Aukje in Bolsward
-
B&B Het Woudhuisje
B&B Het Woudhuisje
-
Statue skaters 'Marathonriders'
Statue skaters 'Marathonriders'
