At the Stedelijk Museum Coevorden, the exhibition ‘Lest We Forget’ can be seen from April 5 to August 31.

80 Years of Liberation

Across the country, between 2024 and 2025, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation is being commemorated and celebrated. While the role of the Canadians, Americans, and British in this liberation is widely acknowledged, the contribution of relatively smaller allied divisions should not be underestimated. This exhibition focuses on one of these divisions: the 1st Polish Armoured Division.

The division, most well-known as the liberators of Breda, was also active in the northeast of the Netherlands. Their role in the liberation in that region has long been cherished and is now receiving increasing recognition across the rest of the Netherlands. A battle that cost the lives of dozens of Poles toward the end of the war, including that of Jan Andrzej Kozakiewicz. His portrait adorns the exhibition’s image. He died while searching for his sister at the Oberlangen prison camp.

Freedom

In an increasingly polarized world, living in freedom no longer seems to be taken for granted, according to the museum. It is important to remain aware of the privilege of being able to live in freedom. This exhibition addresses questions such as ‘What does freedom mean?’

Visit the Exhibition

Details about the exhibition can be found on the museum’s website. We are in talks with the museum to arrange a lecture. Once that is scheduled, we will announce it on our website and social media. The museum’s opening hours are as follows:

• Tuesday to Saturday: 09:30 AM to 5:00 PM
• Sunday: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
• Monday: Closed

The museum is closed on Easter, King’s Day, Ascension Day, and Whit Sunday. The museum is open on Good Friday and (of course, you could almost say) Liberation Day.