1. Good Afternoon...

2. where are we?

3. where are we?

4. where are we?

5. Welcome to Nijmegen

6. History of Nijmegen

7. History of Nijmegen
• Roman Age

8. History of Nijmegen
• Roman Age
• Middle Ages to 19th century

9. History of Nijmegen
• Roman Age
• Middle Ages to 19th century
• WWII : the mistake bombardment

10. History of Nijmegen
• Roman Age
• Middle Ages to 19th century
• WWII : the mistake bombardment
• WWII: market garden

11. History of Nijmegen
• Roman Age
• Middle Ages to 19th century
• WWII : the mistake bombardment
• WWII: market garden
• The present age

12. Nijmegen
• One of the Dutch towns that claims to be
the oldest in the Netherlands!
• Celebrated 2000th anniversary in 2005

13. The Roman Empire’s Northern border
The “Limes”, 57 BC - 400 AD

14. The “Limes” went close by Nijmegen

15. so the Roman army set up camp here

16. called Oppidum (later: Ulpia) Noviomagus Batavorum
or: stronghold on a hill called New Field close the Bataves

17. Valkhof Castle
Around 777, Charlemagne set
up a castle here, called Valkhof,
where he at least once visited

18. Charlemagne

19. Charlemagne
•The first King to re-unite
Europe

20. Charlemagne
•The first King to re-unite
Europe
•Was crowned “emperor” for
defending the Pope in Rome

21. Charlemagne
•The first King to re-unite
Europe
•Was crowned “emperor” for
defending the Pope in Rome
•Incredibly famous crown!

22. Charlemagne
•The first King to re-unite
Europe
•Was crowned “emperor” for
defending the Pope in Rome
•Incredibly famous crown!
•(not this one)

23. right crown shown here,

24. right crown shown here,

25. right crown shown here,

26. •until 1797 ,the Valkhof had a
remarkable tower, the DonJon
•built by Frederick Barbarossa,
a great emperor of the 12th
century

27. which was temporarily
reconstructed in 2005

28. The people of Nijmegen would like to have this tower
rebuilt,
but the Dutch government insists on very high
technical and easthetical standards

29. Nijmegen, a thousand years later:1530

30. The Dutch struggle for independence

33. Philip II, king of Spain

34. Philip II, king of Spain

35. William of Orange Philip II, king of Spain

37. William of Orange:
Freedom for the provinces
Freedom of religion

38. William of Orange: Philip II, king of Spain:
Freedom for the provinces Unity in huge empire
Freedom of religion also unity of catolic
religion

39. in 1566, an iconoclasm starts

40. in 1566, an iconoclasm starts

43. The Duke of Alva is sent in to crush
the rebellion with brute force

44. The Duke of Alva is sent in to crush
the rebellion with brute force

45. The Duke of Alva is sent in to crush
the rebellion with brute force

46. The Duke of Alva is sent in to crush
the rebellion with brute force
which leads to
more resistance....

47. an 80 years war breaks out
Nijmegen is also involved...

48. aerial view

49. Nijmegen under siege in the 80 years war, 1591
The city was in Spanish hands

50. Prince Maurice of
Orange won,

51. Prince Maurice of
Orange won,

52. Prince Maurice of
Orange won,
since then Nijmegen really
became a Dutch city

54. • meanwhile, a golden
century had already
broken out in the West

55. • meanwhile, a golden
century had already
broken out in the West
• famous for all those
paintings...

56. • meanwhile, a golden
century had already
broken out in the West
• famous for all those
paintings...
like Vermeer....

57. • meanwhile, a golden
century had already
broken out in the West
• famous for all those
paintings...
like Vermeer....

58. Rembrandt

59. Rembrandt

60. Jan Steen

61. Jan Steen

62. and Frans Hals.

63. and Frans Hals.

64. And a whole lot of scientists and
other people....
The Dutch wealth was based on
international trade.
In 1648, The United Provinces
offcially became an independent
Republic, which they had been
unofficialy already since 1579

66. •By The Way.......

67. •By The Way.......
•One of the outposts of this
Republic was New Amsterdam,
bought for 60 guilders from some indians

68. •By The Way.......
•One of the outposts of this
Republic was New Amsterdam,
bought for 60 guilders from some indians
•Presently known as....

69. •By The Way.......
•One of the outposts of this
Republic was New Amsterdam,
bought for 60 guilders from some indians
•Presently known as....

70. Back To Nijmegen111

71. In 1873, the city literally burst out its walls, they were
demolished.
expansion begun and has not ended till today!

72. expansion of Nijmegen, 500 - 2025

73. Any questions so far?

74. WW II
and its effects on Nijmegen

75. WW II in NL

76. WW II in NL
• German invasion may 10,1940

77. WW II in NL
• German invasion may 10,1940
• first 4 years relative quiet: Dutch
“accomodated” to occupation

78. WW II in NL
• German invasion may 10,1940
• first 4 years relative quiet: Dutch
“accomodated” to occupation
• jewish population largely “removed”

79. WW II in NL
• German invasion may 10,1940
• first 4 years relative quiet: Dutch
“accomodated” to occupation
• jewish population largely “removed”
• end may 5, 1945

80. February 22, 1944
• American bombers bomb the 2000+
year old inner city of Nijmgen

81. feb 22, 1944
13:30 13:31

82. feb 22, 1944
13:30 13:31

83. A Mistake...

84. A Mistake...
• The bombing squad is called back: bad weather in
England! The crew sees good weather. Discussion
between officers ensues: false German message?

85. A Mistake...
• The bombing squad is called back: bad weather in
England! The crew sees good weather. Discussion
between officers ensues: false German message?
• while turning, crew looks for a target of
opportunity: the train station and shunting yards of
some German city

86. A Mistake...
• The bombing squad is called back: bad weather in
England! The crew sees good weather. Discussion
between officers ensues: false German message?
• while turning, crew looks for a target of
opportunity: the train station and shunting yards of
some German city
• there is not enough time to aim accurately, bombs
fall all over city centre

87. A Mistake...
• The bombing squad is called back: bad weather in
England! The crew sees good weather. Discussion
between officers ensues: false German message?
• while turning, crew looks for a target of
opportunity: the train station and shunting yards of
some German city
• there is not enough time to aim accurately, bombs
fall all over city centre
• All this time, crew is not aware they are flying
above Netherlands

88. the crew of one of the bombers

89. American reconstruction of what
happened

90. the first explosions in the inner city

91. St. Stephens
church

92. St. Stephens
church

93. V&D department store
on fire

94. V&D department store
on fire

95. station area hit by fragmentation boms

99. 800 dead, thousands injured

100. 800 dead, thousands injured
1300 houses destroyed

102. part of the devastated inner city

104. Operation Market Garden

105. Operation Market Garden
• Commences sep 17, 1944. Aim: capture all
bridges over Rhine and its branches by
airborne US, Canadian and British forces

106. Operation Market Garden
• Commences sep 17, 1944. Aim: capture all
bridges over Rhine and its branches by
airborne US, Canadian and British forces
• On the run, Germans set fire to remains of
inner city, including the town hall

107. Operation Market Garden
• Commences sep 17, 1944. Aim: capture all
bridges over Rhine and its branches by
airborne US, Canadian and British forces
• On the run, Germans set fire to remains of
inner city, including the town hall
• after sep 20, German shelling of Nijmegen
continues for 6 months.

108. One Bridge too far

109. One Bridge too far
• Arnhem is “a bridge too far”, British cannot
hold the bridge,

110. One Bridge too far
• Arnhem is “a bridge too far”, British cannot
hold the bridge,
• German forces much stronger than
anticipated

111. One Bridge too far
• Arnhem is “a bridge too far”, British cannot
hold the bridge,
• German forces much stronger than
anticipated
• Area between Arnhem and Nijmegen
becomes frontline zone: inundated!

112. One Bridge too far
• Arnhem is “a bridge too far”, British cannot
hold the bridge,
• German forces much stronger than
anticipated
• Area between Arnhem and Nijmegen
becomes frontline zone: inundated!
• War in Europe lasts 6 months longer.

113. General
James Gavin

114. General
James Gavin
• The “Jumping General”

115. General
James Gavin
• The “Jumping General”
• Succeeded in capturing
Nijmegen Bridge

116. General
James Gavin
• The “Jumping General”
• Succeeded in capturing
Nijmegen Bridge
•Let’s see how.....

119. Total WW II toll
in Nijmegen

120. Total WW II toll
in Nijmegen
• 2.200 civilians dead

121. Total WW II toll
in Nijmegen
• 2.200 civilians dead
• 10.000 injured

122. Total WW II toll
in Nijmegen
• 2.200 civilians dead
• 10.000 injured
• 5.000 homes destroyed

123. Total WW II toll
in Nijmegen
• 2.200 civilians dead
• 10.000 injured
• 5.000 homes destroyed
• 12.000 people homeless

124. Nijmegen 1945-46

125. Nijmegen 1945-46

126. Reconstruction

127. Reconstruction

128. Reconstruction
took quite some
time,
Quite a few parts
of the inner city
have been parking
lots for some
years....

129. Reconstruction
took quite some
time,
Quite a few parts
of the inner city
have been parking
lots for some
years....

130. One area was not
rebuilt, but made into
a large city square
(and parking lot):
Plein 1944
This square will start
its Second Life later
this year!

131. Well, that’s about it
Have a nice stay in
Nijmegen!