The commemoration is accompanied by a special aerial display, including a mass drop with paratroopers. Everyone is welcome at the Ginkelse Heide from 09:00. Watch the airborne landings or visit the many activities for young and old. There will be military vehicles, new children’s workshops, performances and all sorts of stalls at the Airborne market. The Airborne commemoration begins at 11.30 am. Free shuttle buses will run all day between Ede-Wageningen railway station and the Ginkel Heath.

The Netherlands

Airborne Landings and Commemoration

The silhouettes, known as "Giants," stand as silent witnesses to history, creating a visual and emotional connection to the hanging paratroopers in the Eusebiuskerk’s council chapel and the Battle of Arnhem Experience in the church tower. This exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the value of freedom and the enduring legacy of those who fought for it.&nbsp;Practical Information&nbsp;<ul><li>Dates: 28 August 2026 – 27 September 2026</li></ul><ul><li>Location: Eusebiuskerk, Arnhem, Netherlands&nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li>Opening Hours: Daily, 10:00–17:00&nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li>Organizers: Stichting Bridge to Liberation, Stichting Citymarketing Arnhem, Platform Binnenstad Arnhem, Stiching Eusebius Arnhem&nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li>More Information: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.intoarnhem.nl/airborne">www.intoarnhem.nl/airborne</a>&nbsp;</li></ul>

Standing With Giants – The Battle of Arnhem

Across the region, visitors can take part in a wide range of events at the very locations where history unfolded:&nbsp;🪂 Commemorative parachute jumps🕊️ Remembrance ceremonies🪖 Living history &amp; re-enactment🚶 Walking and cycling routes🏛️ Museums and exhibitions🎖️ Historic military vehicles🎒 Educational activities🤝 Encounters and stories of remembrance&nbsp;One of the highlights will be the 82nd Remembrance Ride on Saturday, 19 September, when historic military vehicles will travel through Groesbeek, followed by a static display in the town centre.&nbsp;Whether you are interested in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division, Operation Market Garden, or simply want to experience how the region continues to remember its liberation, there is plenty to discover this September.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://visitmarketgarden.nl/evenementen/">https://visitmarketgarden.nl/evenementen/</a>

Market Garden 2026 – Remembering 82 Years of Liberation 

The exhibition covers the period from the mid-17th century, when a sandbank known as the Western Bank formed at the mouth of the Vistula River, to mid-1941, when the Westerplatte branch of the German Stutthof concentration camp for civilian prisoners was closed.The location of the exhibition is not coincidental – it is the historic former Power Plant building of the Polish Military Transit Depot, renovated and arranged for exhibition purposes. The exhibition features the archaeological discoveries related to the site, the everyday life of the depot, the difficult and responsible service of Polish soldiers in the face of growing hatred of the Germans towards Polish presence in the area of the Free City of Gdańsk, and the camp for Polish civilian prisoners set up by the Germans after the seven-day battle (1–7 September 1939). The curators aim to make visitors aware that Westerplatte is not only a peninsula heroically defended by a small unit of Polish soldiers, but also the site of German crimes against Polish civilians. The exhibition also intends to highlight the symbolic significance of Westerplatte as the place where the Second World War began.Start your visit at Westerplatte with the Visitor Centre [Centrum Obsługi Zwiedzających ‘Pole Bitwy Westerplatte’]. At the information desk, you will obtain information related to the history of Westerplatte. Assistance in planning the route, finding a guide and information will help discover the monuments in the area. The building overlooking the sea provides visitors with a rest stop. It is adapted for people with disabilities.

Poland

Exhibition ‘Memory buried beneath the surface. Archaeology of Westerplatte’

At the foot of the iconic John Frost Bridge, on an impressive floating stage, music, dance, visuals and storytelling are woven together into a moving and layered experience. The commemoration can be attended live and followed via livestream, allowing everyone to reflect on the meaning of freedom — then, now, and in the future.

Bridge to Liberation 2026

Every year at the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek, the Airborne Memorial Service commemorates the servicemen of:<ul><li> the British 1st Airborne Division,</li><li> the Royal Air Force,</li><li>the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade,</li><li>and other Allied troops,who fought for our freedom, were wounded or taken prisoner, and the soldiers who lost their lives during Operation Market Garden in Arnhem, Driel, Ede and Oosterbeek in 1944.</li></ul>

Airborne Memorial Service

The exhibition “My Childhood, 1939-1945” explores the daily lives of French and Canadian children during the Second World War and the war’s impact on civilian populations, particularly on youth.How did youth navigate this era, how were they transformed by the war, and how, for French children, did they experience the Occupation, the liberation, the battles, and the post-war reconstruction?Through immersive modules and testimonies, the exhibition compares the realities of the Occupation in France and the impact of the war on children in Canada.Visitors will better understand how childhoods were disrupted, their adaptations to new daily routines and how they experienced grief, gratitude toward Canadian soldiers, and regained freedom.The stories will be presented through several key themes:<ul><li>The Weight of Occupation (1940–1944) at school and at home</li><li>D-Day (June 6, 1944)</li><li>The Battle of Normandy (June–September 1944)</li><li>Liberation and the scars of war (1944 to today)</li><li>The “absences” experienced by French and Canadian children</li></ul>Learn more here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.junobeach.org/exhibitions/my-childhood-1939-1945/">https://www.junobeach.org/exhibitions/my-childhood-1939-1945/</a>

France

Exhibition: "My childhood, 1939-1945" at Juno Beach Centre

<h4>Discover some of the best preserved WW2 Fortifications in Europe!</h4>The Channel Island Occupation Society (CIOS) Jersey is a voluntary registered charity that has been preserving, restoring and opening German fortifications for around 50 years and has under its wing an impressive range of the standard types of fortifications (Regelbau) constructed locally with most constructed to strict ‘Fortress Standards’ with 2 meter thick concrete reinforced walls and roofs. Many of these structures are restored to near operation condition as well as presenting details of the original crew who manned them and the forced labour used in the construction. A visit to one of our open days will present you with a working atmosphere feel with the chance to get hands on with equipment used at the time as well as events with living history groups presenting relevant displays. How or when can I visit? We open the three largest sites in our care regularly, with details below, which are Battery Lothringen (Noirmont Point), Strongpoint Corbiere and Battery Moltke (Les Landes Common), along with other openings that be pre-advertised on CIOS social media platforms. Visit any of our sites on a guided tour with the experts at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.jerseybunkertours.com/">Jersey War Tours</a> or join us on one of our open days!RESISTANCE NEST MILLBROOK | Regelbau 631b Flanking Anti-Tank Gun Casemate for a 4.7cm Gun with coaxial Machine Gun. INFANTRY RESISTANCE NEST LA CARRIERE | Regelbau 631 Flanking Anti-Tank Gun Casemate for a 4.7cm gun with coaxial machine gun and a Regelbau Jaegerstand Coastal Defense Gun Casemate.‘KERNWERK’ BATTLE HEADQUARTERS AT L’ALEVAL | Regelbau Kanalinsel Nr. 531 Infantry Regiment Command Post.INFANTRY RESISTANCE NEST LA MARE MILL | Regelbau Wa.Prüf 543 4-Loopholed Heavy Machine Gun Turret Bunker. *Currently closed while undergoing renovation*BATTERY LOTHRINGEN | Kriegsmarine (Naval) 15cm coastal artillery battery. Regelbau M 132 Leitstand (Command Bunker) &amp; Naval Direction and Range Finding Tower MP1 plus multiple other constructions in the battery.Confirmed Sunday Opening Times 2-5pm | May 18th, June 15th, July 20th, August 17th, September 21st &amp; October 19th Admission: Adults £8, under 16s free. INFANTRY STRONGPOINT CORBIERE | Early Type Regelbau 633 5cm M19 automatic Fortress Mortar Bunker connected to a Regelbau 634 6-Loopholed Heavy Machine Gun Turret Bunker, Regelbau Jaegerstand Coastal Defence Gun Casemate “Kanone 2” for mounting a 10.5cm gun, Regelbau Kanalinsel Nr. 514 Group Personnel Shelter &amp; Regelbau Jaegerstand Coastal Defence Gun Casemate “Kanone 1” for mounting a 10.5cm gunConfirmed Sunday Opening Times 2-5pm with a minimum of 3 bunkers open | April 27th, May 11th, June 8th &amp; 29th, July 6th, August 3rd, September 7th &amp; October 5thAdmission: Adults £10, under 16s free.KRIEGSMARINE STRONGPOINT BUTTS AT LES LANDES COMMON | Naval Direction and Range Finding Tower MP3 and a Regelbau Fl 242 2cm Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacement.BATTERY ‘MOLTKE’ AT LES LANDES COMMON | The position consists of the following interconnected structures: Regelbau M 151 Personnel Shelter for 25 Men , Regelbau M 153 Emplacement for a 15cm Turreted Naval Gun, 2 x Regelbau 512 Ammunition bunkers and a ‘temporary’ Emplacement for a 155mm Field Gun. Confirmed Sunday Opening Times 2-5pm | May 4th, June 1st, July 6th, August 3rd, September 7th &amp; October 5th Admission: Adults £8, under 16s free.

Jersey

Channel Island Occupation Society: Bunker Open Days

MUSEUM SCHUILEN IN MAASTRICHT…weer geopend in 2026Ga mee!…… en maak een stap naar beneden, terug in de tijd! Bezoek een uniek museum onder in de eeuwenoude kazematten van Maastricht. Het Schuilkeldermuseum bevindt zich op een plek waar ook daadwerkelijk werd geschuild, tijdens WOII en schuilervaringen zijn vastgelegd. U voelt meteen de sfeer zoals deze was in 1940-1945, wanneer er een ernstige dreiging uit de lucht kon vallen. In het museum vindt u in de vitrines herinneringen aan de Tweede Wereldoorlog en de inrichting voor de Koude Oorlog, na WOII. Er zijn vrijwilligers, die u de weg wijzen. Ga terug in de geschiedenis en laat ook jonge bezoekers zien hoe actueel een Schuilkelder kan zijn, in het onrustige Europa van dit moment. Uniek is dat het museum verscholen ligt onder een woonwijk. Tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog groeven de bewoners ook via zelf gegraven gangen, onder in hun kelders of tuin, een weg naar beneden, naar de Schuilkelder. Onze werkgroep heeft nauwe banden onderhouden met de mensen die hier daadwerkelijk geschuild hebben.&nbsp;Openingstijd:14.00 uur - 16.00 uurToegang is gratis.<h2>Openingstijden 2026</h2><ul><li>15-03-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>19-04-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>17-05-26 :14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>21-06-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>19-07-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>16-08-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>20-09-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>18-10-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>15-11-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur</li><li>13-12-26:14.00 - 16.00 uur&nbsp;</li></ul>Museum informatieLOCATIE: SchuilkeldermuseumMinister Goeman Borgesiusplantsoen 306214 SE&nbsp; Maastricht&nbsp;Meer informatie &gt; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.schuileninmaastricht.com">www.schuileninmaastricht.com</a>E-mail &gt; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:info@schuileninmaastricht.com">info@schuileninmaastricht.com</a>Facebook&gt; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.facebook.com/schuileninmaastricht">www.facebook.com/schuileninmaastricht</a>&nbsp;

Schuilkeldermuseum Maastricht

More than just an episode of the Second World War, captivity was an unprecedented social phenomenon that became part of the trauma of France's defeat. Nearly every family was affected, either directly or indirectly. The absence of so many able-bodied men weighed heavily on society, leaving women and children to cope with the hardships of everyday life.Initially confined in the Frontstalags (prisoner-of-war camps in occupied France), the prisoners were later dispersed among the Stalags and Oflags across Germany, forming part of the vast internment system established by the Third Reich throughout the territories under its control, including Poland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. Their lives were shaped by the demands of the German war economy, which alternately welcomed and distrusted this forced labor force. The fate of the prisoners became a major concern for the Vichy government, which pursued every possible compromise in an effort to improve their situation. Deprived of their freedom for five years, exiled in a foreign land, and separated from their families, the prisoners had to draw on their inner strength to endure this ordeal with dignity.<h5>Discover the Exhibition as a Family!</h5>Step into history alongside Jean, our prisoner-guide and the exhibition's mascot. Children aged 7 and up are invited to explore the exhibition in a fun and interactive way. By scanning QR codes throughout the exhibition, they can download smartphone content created especially for them.Inside the exhibition, a dedicated children's area offers:<ul><li>A reconstructed prisoner barracks room (chambrée)</li><li>Hands-on exploration of replica historical documents and objects</li><li>Board games</li><li>Self-guided workshops and activities</li></ul>Together, these features provide an immersive and educational experience for the whole family.

French Prisoners of War: History of a Captive Community (1940–1945)

Many of you visited this fantastic event in 2025! See you in December 2026 for the 82nd anniversary!<ul><li>Recreated period camps</li><li>Exhibition of vintage vehicles</li><li>Convoys of historic vehicles and armoured vehicles</li><li>Roadbook route for period vehicles</li><li>Introduction to an engineering unit</li><li>Visit to the Manhay History 44 Museum</li><li>Battlefield re-enactment with pyrotechnic show</li><li>WWII shop and militaria fair</li><li>Mass for those who fell in battle</li><li>Tributes to the liberators</li><li>1940-45 musical entertainment</li><li>Bar and catering on site</li></ul>Free admissionFull programme and registration : <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ardennes-history-remember.be/en/programme-2026/">https://www.ardennes-history-remember.be/en/programme-2026/</a>

Belgium 

Battle of the Bulge Manhay 2026

Medicine Behind the Barbed Wire was organized for the first time in 2018 in Kraków, Poland. In 2022, the 4th edition featured the first&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mra.piebm.org/conference/ryn_award">Z.J. Ryn Award</a> ceremony for unique contribution to the Medical Review Auschwitz project and for the best lecture at the conference. The 5th edition attracted over 100 hundred participants from around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;The conference is organized by the Polish Institute for Evidence Based Medicine in collaboration with the Kraków Medical Society, Institute of National Remembrance and Jagiellonian University Medical College. Conference partners include the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, University of Colorado Center for Bioethics and Humanities, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and the International Chair in Bioethics (WMA Cooperation Center).&nbsp;Target audience&nbsp;Clinical practitioners of various specialties; members of ethical committees at medical institutions; medical educators working in bioethics, medical ethics and history of medicine programs; residents and fellows in training interested in the legacy of the Holocaust for clinical practice, professional ethics, physician-patient relationship and bioethics.&nbsp;The conference is open to allied medical professionals, including psychotherapists and psychologists, nurses, midwives and paramedics. The program is also directed to students of medicine and related disciplines as well as ethicists, bioethicists and historians of medicine.&nbsp;All informations at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mra.piebm.org/conference/#title">https://mra.piebm.org/conference/#title</a>

Airborne Landings and Commemoration

Standing With Giants – The Battle of Arnhem

Market Garden 2026 – Remembering 82 Years of Liberation

Exhibition ‘Memory buried beneath the surface. Archaeology of Westerplatte’

Bridge to Liberation 2026

Airborne Memorial Service

Exhibition: "My childhood, 1939-1945" at Juno Beach Centre

Channel Island Occupation Society: Bunker Open Days

Schuilkeldermuseum Maastricht

French Prisoners of War: History of a Captive Community (1940–1945)

Battle of the Bulge Manhay 2026

Conference Medical Review Auschwitz: Medicine Behind the Barbed Wire

Register your event on Europe Remembers

Date

Country

Type of event

Airborne Landings and Commemoration

Standing With Giants – The Battle of Arnhem

Market Garden 2026 – Remembering 82 Years of Liberation

Exhibition ‘Memory buried beneath the surface. Archaeology of Westerplatte’

Bridge to Liberation 2026

Airborne Memorial Service

Exhibition: "My childhood, 1939-1945" at Juno Beach Centre

Channel Island Occupation Society: Bunker Open Days

Schuilkeldermuseum Maastricht

French Prisoners of War: History of a Captive Community (1940–1945)

Battle of the Bulge Manhay 2026

Conference Medical Review Auschwitz: Medicine Behind the Barbed Wire

Register your event on Europe Remembers