Freedom Path: When Remembrance Becomes a Collective and Active Effort

As part of the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, numerous activities are planned in the Netherlands in September 2024. One important event is the Freedom Path, scheduled from 10 to 20 September 2024, reflecting on the famous Operation Market Garden - the failed attempt by the Allies to gain a foothold in this part of Europe. The walking relay leads through the provinces of Limburg (Netherlands and Belgium), North Brabant and Gelderland and follows the Liberation Route Europe Operation Market Garden cycling route. 

Operation Market Garden was one of the largest Allied operations of World War II, taking place in September 1944 in northern Belgium and the Dutch provinces of North Brabant, Limburg, and Gelderland. This airborne operation, carried out by British, American, and Polish troops, aimed to control the bridges over the Meuse, Waal, and Rhine rivers. Despite its ambitious goals, the operation failed, leading to a difficult time for both the civilians and the soldiers displaced in the area. The war continued in Gelderland, Brabant, and Limburg until the complete liberation of the Netherlands in May 1945. 

The ‘Freedom Path’ initiative 

The ‘Freedom Path’ walking relay allows for a deeper reflection on these dramatic events in an active way. This 330-kilometre-long trail, divided into 22 stages of about 15 km each, crosses countries, provinces, and municipal borders, allowing participants to share their stories along the way. 

The relay, open to the public, starts on Tuesday, 10 September, in Leopoldsburg, Flanders (Belgium). In this location, the plans for Operation Market Garden were presented and the Allied ground troops gathered there in 1944. The route continues through North Brabant (via Eindhoven, Uden, and Grave, among others), Limburg (from the German military cemetery in Ysselsteyn), and Gelderland (via Nijmegen to the Airborne Region). 

The final part, on Friday, 20 September, will run from Oosterbeek (Netherlands) along the route of John Frost. Frost was an airborne officer of the British Army known for leading the small group of British airborne troops that reached Arnhem bridge during the Battle of Arnhem in Operation Market Garden. A special guest, Caroline Frost, John Frost's daughter, will lead the final kilometres, walking in her father's footsteps. On its last leg, the Freedom Path will join the commemorations of the Battle of Arnhem and Bridge to Liberation at the ‘Bridge Too Far’ in the presence of the veterans.

Conclusion 

Participating in the Freedom Trail offers a unique chance to walk in the footsteps of those who lived through Operation Market Garden. As you walk, you’ll uncover their powerful stories and gain a multi-perspective view of this time in history. Along the way, events like the play "Behind the Horizon" at Vlagheide on 13 September and speeches throughout the relay will immerse you in a rich, cross-cultural dialogue. 

To take part in the Freedom Trail and to carry these powerful stories into the future, visit the Freedom Path website. There, you will find all the practical information you need and can easily register for the relay.