WELCOME TO THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF AALTEN
In 2020 it will be 75 years ago that the municipality of Aalten was liberated. We want to celebrate this freedom together with liberation themed events. Celebrating 75 years of liberty includes celebrating togetherness, reflecting on the past, honouring peace and liberty, but also meeting across the border. The full programme is available on this website. If you have an idea for an event and you want it to be featured on the calendar on this website, please register your event.
The themes
COMMEMORATE & DEEPEN
In addition to celebrating our freedom together, the 75thanniversary of the liberation will also honour and commemorate those who worked to regain our freedom.
CULTURE & EDUCATION
Lessons from the past can help us to ensure peace and freedom in the future. Education is an essential contributor to this, as well as art and heritage exhibitions.
“75 years after the liberation of the municipality of Aalten is part of the national programme by the National Committee for 4 and 5 May, the provincial theme ‘Gelderland Remembers’ and the Achterhoek regional programme. The municipality of Aalten has an impressive history of resistance. During the occupation years from 1940 to 1945, the municipality harboured the highest number of people, relatively speaking. With the loss of the generation of people who experienced the war, the urgency to transfer knowledge and stories and the realisation that freedom must never be taken for granted is more significant than ever. The events of the Second World War are deeply rooted in the community. This shows in the National Museum of People in Hiding in Aalten, the Border museum in Dinxperlo and the Freedom Escape room in Aalten.”