Military War Cemetery Grebbeberg
Encyclopedia
Military War Cemetery Grebbeberg is a graveyard where 799 military personnel and 1 civilian were buried, who died during the invasion of the Netherlands by the Germans
in May 1940. The cemetery is located on the Grebbeberg near Rhenen
. More than 400 of the military interred here fell during the Battle of the Grebbeberg
.
of the Netherlands
, a cemetery
was laid out at the Grebbeberg for both Dutch and German dead. On 20 May 1940 the cemetery was completed and all the dead were buried. On 27 May all field graves were cleared from the perimeter of the Grebbeberg and the remains were reburied in the cemetery. The cemetery then contained 380 Dutch graves and about 150 German graves. The graves were marked with wooden signs with the name of the military personnel, if known. In 1942 a stone wall was built around the cemetery and all tombstones were replaced with standardized stones. Until that time, many family members or relatives had their own headstone placed on the grave. After the German surrender all German graves were moved to the German military cemetery in Ysselsteyn
. Until 1 January 1952 the cemetery was maintained by the Ministry of Defense, which at that date, transferred it to the Netherlands War Graves Foundation.
The reconstruction of the history of the National Army Monument Grebbeberg shows how the designer, architect J.J.P. Oud
, in 1948-1953 conducted intensive consultations with the client about the meaning and symbolism of the monument.
Since the 1960s, many soldiers were moved from local graves to the cemetery, so now nearly 850 people are buried here.
. After the surrender it became the first official Dutch war cemetery. After the fighting (and the Dutch capitulation) the German occupiers ordered a search for victims from both sides to have them properly buried.
, 4 May. In addition, on Whit
, a commemoration of the former Eighth Regiment Infantry takes place, where all the colleagues who died during the May days are commemorated.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in May 1940. The cemetery is located on the Grebbeberg near Rhenen
Rhenen
Rhenen is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands.The municipality also includes the villages of Achterberg, Remmerden, Elst and Laareind. The town lies at a geographically interesting location, namely on the southernmost part of the chain of hills known as the Utrecht Hill Ridge ,...
. More than 400 of the military interred here fell during the Battle of the Grebbeberg
Battle of the Grebbeberg
The Battle of the Grebbeberg was a major engagement during the Battle of the Netherlands, which was a part of the World War II Operation Fall Gelb in 1940.-Background:In the 1930s, the Dutch government pursued a policy of strict neutrality...
.
History
Immediately after the surrenderSurrender (military)
Surrender is when soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and eventually become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. A white flag is a common symbol of surrender, as is the gesture of raising one's hands empty and open above one's head.When the...
of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, a cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
was laid out at the Grebbeberg for both Dutch and German dead. On 20 May 1940 the cemetery was completed and all the dead were buried. On 27 May all field graves were cleared from the perimeter of the Grebbeberg and the remains were reburied in the cemetery. The cemetery then contained 380 Dutch graves and about 150 German graves. The graves were marked with wooden signs with the name of the military personnel, if known. In 1942 a stone wall was built around the cemetery and all tombstones were replaced with standardized stones. Until that time, many family members or relatives had their own headstone placed on the grave. After the German surrender all German graves were moved to the German military cemetery in Ysselsteyn
Ysselsteyn
Ysselsteyn is a small village in the municipality of Venray in Limburg, Netherlands. It was established in 1921 and named after its designer, Hendrik Albert van IJsselsteyn, then Minister of Agriculture....
. Until 1 January 1952 the cemetery was maintained by the Ministry of Defense, which at that date, transferred it to the Netherlands War Graves Foundation.
The reconstruction of the history of the National Army Monument Grebbeberg shows how the designer, architect J.J.P. Oud
Jacobus Oud
Jacobus Johannes Pieter Oud, commonly called J. J. P. Oud was a Dutch architect. His fame began as a follower of the De Stijl movement....
, in 1948-1953 conducted intensive consultations with the client about the meaning and symbolism of the monument.
Since the 1960s, many soldiers were moved from local graves to the cemetery, so now nearly 850 people are buried here.
Special significance
The cemetery has a special significance because it is located exactly at the point in the Netherlands where the fiercest fighting took place during the Second WorldSecond World
The term "Second World" is a phrase used to describe those countries which are allied with or are supported by the "First World" countries . These include countries supported by the United States, such as Colombia, Israel, etc., and those supported by the former Soviet Union, also known as the the...
. After the surrender it became the first official Dutch war cemetery. After the fighting (and the Dutch capitulation) the German occupiers ordered a search for victims from both sides to have them properly buried.
Commemoration
Since 1946 this cemetery serves as a national memorial site. Here the military memorial ceremony held on Remembrance of the DeadRemembrance of the Dead
Remembrance of the Dead is held annually on May 4 in the Netherlands. It commemorates all civilians and members of the armed forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who have died in wars or peacekeeping missions since the outbreak of World War II....
, 4 May. In addition, on Whit
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
, a commemoration of the former Eighth Regiment Infantry takes place, where all the colleagues who died during the May days are commemorated.
Notable people
- Willem Pieter LandzaatWillem Pieter LandzaatWillem Pieter Landzaat was a Dutch militairy who died during the Battle of the Grebbeberg.In May 1940 Major Landzaat was commander of the 1st Batallion, 8th Regiment Infantry . On 13 May, his command post, located in a pavilion where a restaurant was located, south of "Ouwehands Dierenpark", was...
, commander 1st battalion 8th Regiment Infantry (I-8 R.I.)