Liberation Day in Breda

Before we celebrate the liberation of the Netherlands, we take a moment to reflect on the loss.

On 4 May, we observe 2 minutes of silence for civilians and military personnel – who have died or been murdered in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or anywhere else in the world; both during World War II and the colonial war in Indonesia, as well as in conflict situations and peacekeeping operations afterwards. 

In Breda, we commemorate this in Valkenbergpark and wreaths and flowers are laid at de Vlucht. 

The Liberation Festival Breda is a celebration of freedom and connection! Freedom will be celebrated at the Kasteelplein with (live) performances, cultural activities, and inspiring exhibitions. 

The  Maczek Memorial is the resting place of fallen soldiers from the 1st Polish Armoured Division and their general, General Maczek. On Liberation Day, the Maczek Memorial hosts various events. 

Concert
The Breda Male Voice Choir, consisting of sixty members, will perform a beautiful concert starting at 12.30 pm. 

Freedom Meal
From 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm, there will be a freedom meal. You are welcome on the grounds of the Maczek Memorial in Breda. You can engage in conversation with other guests about freedom. This discussion will be led by Breda author John van Ierland, who has written several books about WWII. 

If you would like to attend the freedom meal, you can make a reservation via the link below.

Read more about Breda and the Poles

On 5 May, there will be a freedom meal at the Chassé Theatre. 150 residents of Breda will engage in conversation about freedom. Because freedom is not a given, even though we seem to think it is. 

During this meal, freedom soup by Nick Toet (among others known from Taarten van Abel) will be served. His soup is a tomato miso soup. Here you can find the recipe, so you can make it yourself as well.

In Breda, you can take a 2.5 km long (city) walk past the locations in the Breda city centre that commemorate the war and especially our Polish liberators.

Do you want to be active on Liberation Day? Then sign up for the Wings for Life run. 

What is the Wings for Life run?
In the Wings for Life World Run, everyone starts at the same time worldwide (Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia). Professional athletes, runners, and complete beginners all compete together against the 'Catcher Car'. The Catcher Car, the moving finish line, starts its chase 30 minutes after the start and passes runners and wheelchair users one after the other until the race is over. The best part? 100% of all entry fees and donations go directly to spinal cord research to find a cure for spinal cord injury.