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Little water level house (Peilschaalhuisje) at Hindeloopen
Little water level house (Peilschaalhuisje) at Hindeloopen
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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.
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Forest cabin Nooitgedacht
Forest cabin Nooitgedacht
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Old Burger Weeshuis
Old Burger Weeshuis
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Anton Wachter
Anton Wachter
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Groepsaccommodatie kleastermar
Groepsaccommodatie kleastermar
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Zeilcentrum Allemansend
Zeilcentrum Allemansend
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Bed & Breakfast Joarum
Bed & Breakfast Joarum
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Greenjoy - Easterwierrum - De Dille
Greenjoy - Easterwierrum - De Dille
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Hegebeintum (Hogebeintum)
Hegebeintum (Hogebeintum)
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Majestic Restaurant en Pizzeria
Majestic Restaurant en Pizzeria
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Boerderijcamping Poelzicht
Boerderijcamping Poelzicht
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City farm De Sibbe
City farm De Sibbe
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Eindpunt Museum Belvedere
Eindpunt Museum Belvedere
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KunstKamer Franeker
KunstKamer Franeker
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Sâltpoel
Sâltpoel
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Jachthaven Jutrijp
Jachthaven Jutrijp
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Public toilet Schans in Stavoren
Public toilet Schans in Stavoren
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Lemmer Vakantiewoning
Lemmer Vakantiewoning
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La Cubanita
La Cubanita
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Mariakerk Foudgum
Mariakerk Foudgum
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Sorgdrager Cultural History Museum
Sorgdrager Cultural History Museum
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The liberation of Friesland
The liberation of Friesland
By 18 April, the whole province of Friesland had been liberated, except for the Wadden Islands. Compared to other provinces, there was little fighting in Friesland. Overall, the few thousand German troops who had been unable to escape from 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 that "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.
At least 31 resistance fighters lost their lives in confrontations with German troops and their Dutch accomplices. At least eleven Canadians and one Frenchman were killed on the Allied side. Dozens of civilian victims were also killed in the fighting and shelling. The number of casualties on the German side is not known, but it is believed that the number ran into hundreds. With 320 destroyed and 4000 damaged homes and 80 destroyed bridges, Friesland was materially the least damaged province of the Netherlands.
Many German soldiers fled towards the western part of the country. The retreating German troops gathered mostly in Harlingen, Makkum and Lemmer. From there, they tried to get away by boat across the IJsselmeer or via the Afsluitdijk to North Holland. The Wadden Islands also became a refuge for collaborators and German soldiers. Here, liberation was longer in coming.
On the island of Terschelling, the last German troops were disarmed by a British artillery regiment on 29 May. Two days later, the British crossed from Terschelling to Vlieland, and the liberation of that island was also a fact. Ameland was liberated on 3 June.
Personnel from the infamous Scholtenhuis, the SD headquarters in Groningen, had entrenched themselves on Schiermonnikoog. After their departure on 31 May, there was a celebration on the island, in spite of the six hundred members of the occupying troops who still were there. Only on 11 June did the last German soldiers leave Schiermonnikoog, and then the whole province of Friesland was free.
Most Canadian units that had liberated Friesland continued the battle in Groningen and North Germany after 18 April. Their war ended on 8 May 1945, when the surrender of all German armed forces became effective.
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H. Franciscuskerk
H. Franciscuskerk
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