This morning, a commemoration was held at the De Naald monument to mark the start of Operation Market Garden on 17 September 1944. Mayor Marcel Fränzel and Children’s Mayor Eva Feenstra laid a wreath and spoke about personal stories of war and freedom. In addition to various wreath-laying ceremonies, Hans van Kranenburg and Gerda Roseboom laid a wreath on behalf of the PSVR, organiser of the Airborne March.

Young people also were important: pupils from De Mariënborn Primary School (the class of Children’s Mayor Eva) and the Airborne School Renkum were present. They laid flowers at the monument and Alieke Janssen recited her winning poem from the poetry competition.