A cluster of WWII memorials in the city centre. The Bombardment Bas Relief remembers the 220 civilians killed in the German bombing of 19 September 1944. Nearby, the Liberation Monument honours the soldier, the resistance worker, and the civilian. The Liberation Bas Relief marks the meeting of American and British troops in Eindhoven. 18 Septemberplein.
Liberation Monuments
Cluster of WWII memorials in the city centre
A story
On 18 September 1944, Eindhoven became the first Dutch city to be liberated — briefly. British tanks entered from the south and were met by jubilant crowds. The celebration was short-lived: later that same day, the German Luftwaffe bombed the city centre, killing 220 civilians and destroying much of the historic centre. The bombing, coming the day after liberation, is why Eindhoven has fewer prewar buildings than any other major Dutch city.