Liberation Celebrations in Rijswijk

With the capitulation of Germany on 4 May 1945, the Second World War ended in Europe. The joy among the population was immense, including in Rijswijk. Quite quickly, a plan was made at the city hall to organise a grand liberation party for all Rijswijkers. This was to be held on Queen’s Day – 31 August – and the day after, 1 September. For many, however, that took far too long. Many neighbourhood committees, therefore, made plans for smaller-scale liberation parties, in a neighbourhood or a street.

Of most of the small parties that often took place in a street, hardly any data is known. The Rijswijksche Courant only appeared from mid-August when sufficient newspapers were available again. Nevertheless, it is known that on 25 May there was a dance party in the Oranjelaan and on 2 June a dance party in Hotel Leeuwendaal. On the 16th of June the party was in the Lijsterbeslaan, and at the end of June, something similar took place in the Herenstraat. In addition, there were parades such as on 1 July in the Willem Marisstraat and on 14 July in the Verhagen Metmanstraat. No photos are known of any of these small festivities.

Fortunately, more material has been preserved from several smaller and larger liberation celebrations – on the 6th and the 7th of July in the Kerklaan and surroundings, on the 31st of August and the 1st of September throughout Rijswijk. These celebrations are brought to life with photos, programmes and other objects from the collection of Museum Rijswijk. The exhibition gives a cheerful picture of the unstoppable joy among the people of Rijswijk 80 years ago.

In the exhibition space, there are also a lot of photos of the Liberation celebrations for which we are looking for information. For example, who is in the photos? Perhaps you can tell us. We would love to hear from you! With these additions, the image bank is becoming increasingly richer, and we are preserving history for the future as completely as possible.

The Liberation Celebrations in Rijswijk exhibition is organised as part of the commemoration of 80 years of Liberation.