Themed route

Franeker and the liberation

The Netherlands

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Type

Hiking

Distance

13.56 km

The local people of Franeker played a crucial role in supporting their liberators. They provided valuable assistance to the Allies, offering vital information about enemy movements. Local resistance groups, known as the ‘Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten’, actively worked to sabotage German operations, disrupt supply lines and assist the Allies in their efforts to liberate Friesland.

Evacuees from all over the Netherlands experienced hospitality offered by local people, who provided them with food and shelter. During the final war months, the kitchen of the psychiatric hospital in Franeker provided food for all those seeking refuge. The tuberculosis ward of the hospital appeared to be an ideal place for people in hiding.