Today we commemorate for the 63rd time VE Day. On 8th May 1945 the war in Europa was over, Nazi-Germany had at last been overcome, with an immense number of allied soldiers, often coming from such far parts of the world as Australia, sacrificing their lives for our freedom here in Europe. I write this as a German historian, born in 1943, who worked most of his life in the Netherlands and who realizes only too well that he owes his life and freedom to the “boys”.
Most of you will know about the operation “Market Garden” in September 1944 which if succesful could have shortened the war considerably and certainly could have spared the north of the Netherlands the terrible “hunger winter” of 1944-45. There is a good report on the operation in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_G...
It was this bridge at Nijmegen, crossing the River Waal and lying so peacefully here on this shot of last autumn, which was taken after four days of heavy fighting. The next great bridge further north, at Arnhem, crossing the River Lek, proved to be “a bridge too far” however.
Nijmegen, 6th October 2007, 4.11 pm Nikon D80, Nikkor 18-200 mm at 18 mm F 14, 1/100, ISO 200
That still left us (in Gouda) with the hunger winter, Juergen. My father begging milk from he farmers for me and my mother and he sometimes boiling potato peelings , other times going to bed without anything to eat at all. It’s a long, long way from September until May, when there is no more food. It’s a bit ironic that the shape of this bridge is so similar to that of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is often used to symbolically represent Australia (and therefore our lives here) after leaving that other icon, the town hall of Gouda. As always, so good to see your work here!!
That’ll teach me to read all of your text first, Juergen!! Yes. I only read the second part, where you mentioned the hunger winter, after I commented. Just goes to prove that it’s your pictures that capture my attention!
Jo (Ozcloggie)
Yes, that hunger winter was a really terrible thing to happen. Never mind not reading it all at first: like this you added the lines about the experiences of your father. I think that is very valuable indeed!
P.S.. It strikes me again, that you and I were both born in 1943 and are now communicating, so easily, from opposite ends of the globe, about a number experiences that we have in common. …….Although!!!! I’ve never been to Nijmegen!!! ( Wish I’d not been in such a hurry, earlier. Meant to write: My father begging for milk from the farmers for me but hopefully, you knew that. ) :)
Hi Joop, You are just too fast! But I got what you meant. Yes, I find it quite extraordinary that life has made me meet a Dutch girl and teach me to look at it all from another angle too. My good own decision before that had been to start studying the English language and literature … and so I did meet her at a summer course in Bangor in North-Wales in 1967!
Comments
Wonderful capture and great legend. Beautiful imagery and colour
Excellent capture, wonderful scenery the bridge almost looks like the Sydney one but small in size, great shot.
Wonderful Juergen. We must never forget …
A moment to remember ~ appreciate the well written story of where this took place ~ well captured and delivered both ~ thank you
Wow, it is wonderful to see living history, especially captured in this way, excuse the pun. What a terrible foray Market Garden was.
That still left us (in Gouda) with the hunger winter, Juergen. My father begging milk from he farmers for me and my mother and he sometimes boiling potato peelings , other times going to bed without anything to eat at all. It’s a long, long way from September until May, when there is no more food.
It’s a bit ironic that the shape of this bridge is so similar to that of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is often used to symbolically represent Australia (and therefore our lives here) after leaving that other icon, the town hall of Gouda.
As always, so good to see your work here!!
That’ll teach me to read all of your text first, Juergen!! Yes. I only read the second part, where you mentioned the hunger winter, after I commented.
Just goes to prove that it’s your pictures that capture my attention!
Jo (Ozcloggie)
Yes, that hunger winter was a really terrible thing to happen. Never mind not reading it all at first: like this you added the lines about the experiences of your father. I think that is very valuable indeed!
– jchanders
P.S.. It strikes me again, that you and I were both born in 1943 and are now communicating, so easily, from opposite ends of the globe, about a number experiences that we have in common.
…….Although!!!! I’ve never been to Nijmegen!!! ( Wish I’d not been in such a hurry, earlier. Meant to write: My father begging for milk from the farmers for me but hopefully, you knew that. ) :)
Hi Joop,
You are just too fast! But I got what you meant.
Yes, I find it quite extraordinary that life has made me meet a Dutch girl and teach me to look at it all from another angle too. My good own decision before that had been to start studying the English language and literature … and so I did meet her at a summer course in Bangor in North-Wales in 1967!
– jchanders
Fantastic image and what a great way to remember important times past.
Lovely image Juergen :-)