To mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Kevelaer and its villages by British and Canadian troops in March 1945, the Lower Rhine Museum and the town archives of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer are commemorating the events of that time. On April 16, 2025, some objects from the museum and files from the town archives with historical reference to the period in question will be presented in a lecture. The end of the war in Europe was officially sealed on May 8, 1945 when Germany surrendered.
"The liberation of Kevelaer was a significant moment in the history of our town," says the town archivist of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer, Till Bodden. "With this event, we want to remember in particular what the people in our town experienced during the war and at the end of the war - both perpetrators and victims."
The program will be complemented by a guest contribution from some pupils from Kevelaer.
"It is important that we remember history again and again in order to raise awareness of the values of peace and freedom," emphasizes Mayor Dr. Dominik Pichler. "With this event, we want to give the people of Kevelaer and beyond the opportunity to engage with history and understand how our town developed after the end of the Second World War."
The event will take place on April 16, 2025 from 5 p.m. in the Historische Kneipe in the Niederrheinisches Museum, Hauptstraße 18 in Kevelaer. Admission is free, registration is not required.
Interesting information about Kevelaer citizens from the post-war period can be found on the pages of the town archive at www.kevelaer.de/stadtarchiv.