THE NETHERLANDS : ARNHEM
Arnhem is the
capital of the Dutch province of Gelderland
and is called the “Garden City on the Rhine ”. First mentioned in the 9th cent., Arnhem was long the residence of the
dukes of Gelderland.
To World War II veterans Arnhem is known
as the city of "A Bridge Too Far".
During World War II British airborne troops
suffered a serious defeat here in September 1944.The
city was heavily damaged in World War II; indeed, its important position
on the Rhine has led to it being captured, stormed and occupied on many
occasions during its long history. There are many museums that
trace the history of the conflict and in particular the destruction of
Arnhem itself.
Now rebuilt, Arnhem is a prosperous
town that sometimes lacks a bit of character.
The old part of the town has, however, been beautifully rebuilt. There
is a large open-air museum near Arnhem showing a collection of old
farms, mills, houses and workshops, all of which have
been brought
together to form a splendid park. Not far from the town centre there is
a zoo and a safari park.The Nederlands Openluchtmuseum is a fascinating array of buildings and
artefacts gathered from every Province in the country. Admire trams,
windmills, provincial furniture and a huge array of tools drawn from
every corner of the country.In the nearby De Hoge Veluwe National Park, an area of marsh, forest and
sand dunes is a wonderful art museum housing many works by the French
Impressionists.
History of Arnhem
On the crossing of waterways and land, the city
grew into the capital of Gelre. It became the governmental center of
what would later become the Gelderland province, the last one to be
annexed to the Netherlands in 1543. It was Emperor Charles V who made
Arnhem the administrative capital of the province. Arnhem took on an industrial
importance at the end of 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The
establishment of the ENKA in 1911 was very significant. Nowadays Arnhem
is the biggest centre for trade and business services of south and east
Holland. Names such as Heijdemij, Kema and Postgiro are well-known
everywhere.
In the recent past, Arnhem was mainly associated with the battle during
the Second World War which the allies lost and which would change the
history of the city and its residents for good. Operation Market Garden,
the biggest air force manouvre in the Second World War which was
supposed to shorten the war by at least six months and which could have
spared the Randstadt a disastrous "hunger winter", failed here. At that
time Arnhem was a bridge too far.
However... Arnhem rose from the ashes. Due to the post-war expansions,
with Oosterbeek to the west and Velp to the east, Arnhem now forms a
complete city along the Veluwe border.
