World War II Background
When British Field Marshall Montgomery reached Lübeck and the Baltic Sea in the beginning of May 1945, the German troops in Denmark and part of The Netherlands were isolated from their homebase. Without major fights, they surrendereed to Montgomery on May 4 at Lüneburg Heath. On 5 May 1945 the negotiation for the surrender of the Germans in the Netherlands took place in the hotel. The Canadian general Charles Foulkes, Canadian general George Kitching, Prince Bernhard, German general Johannes Blaskowitz and German general Paul Reichel were present at the negotiation. On 6 May 1945 the official signing of the capitulation act took place in the Aula of the Landbouwhogeschool next to the hotel. Photos can be seen here. The pen used to sign can be seen in the local museum the Casteelse poort (English: Castles gate)
By 1975 the Hotel was fully restored. The opening of the restored Hotel was done by H.R.H. Prince Bernhard, who represented the Netherlands at the capitulation in 1945.
On 8 July 1945 the bronze plaque was attached to the wall of the Hotel by the Canadians. On 9 July Prince Bernhard unveiled the plaque which was given by General Foulkes to remember the capitulation act signed in Wageningen.
Read more about this topic: Hotel De Wereld
Famous quotes containing the words world, war and/or background:
“Of old the world on dreaming fed;
Grey Truth is now her painted toy....”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“Armies, for the most part, are made up of men drawn from simple and peaceful lives. In time of war they suddenly find themselves living under conditions of violence, requiring new rules of conduct that are in direct contrast to the conditions they lived under as civilians. They learn to accept this to perform their duties as fighting men.”
—Gil Doud, U.S. screenwriter, and Jesse Hibbs. Walter Bedell Smith (Himself)
“... every experience in life enriches one’s background and should teach valuable lessons.”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)