Liberation Route

The Liberation Route is the route the allied forces took from the landing sites in Normandy to Berlin. At the end of the 2nd World War the area around Arnhem and Nijmegen played a crucial role in the liberation of Europe. It was here that Operation Market Garden took place. This was the dramatic unsuccessful crossing of the Rhine that most people know from the film “ A Bridge too Far”.

However Operation Veritable is unknown to most people.
It was the battle which formed the prelude to the leap across the Rhine after which the eventual defeat of Germany soon followed.
Both operations took place in the Land of Maas and Niers. At a number of the audio spots along the Liberation Route you can relive the history.
See: www.liberationroute.com

Gennep plays a special role in this project. Here in particular you can experience Operation Veritable. The Battle of the Reichswald and the Battle of Gennep formed the prologue to the successful crossing of the Rhine. The Martinus Tower bears the scars of Operation Veritable and tells you it’s tale.
The tower is also the starting point of 2 cycle routes which, among other things, lead through the Reichswald where the last big battle on the western frontier took place. Here you will also find the largest war cemetery of the 2nd World War in Europe and the largest German war cemetery of the Lower Rhine area.

To be able to get the allied troops across the Maas the longest Bailey bridge of the 2nd World War was built in Gennep. Four audiospots in Gennep tell the stories connected with this. They can be downloaded or can be viewed on this website. All have been filmed with authentic photo and film material from the war and are also spoken in English and in German.

In the nearby towns of Groesbeek (near Nijmegen) and Overloon (near Boxmeer) there are 2 large Dutch war museums. 
On this page there are 2 films of the route, 2 documentaries and 3 plays which have been filmed for the audio spots.