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Kerkrade's Nieuwstraat can justifiably be called unique, as the street marks the border between two countries. The even house numbers are in Germany, the odd ones in the Netherlands. Barbed wire fences several metres high ran through the street during both the First and the Second World War. The street border has led to numerous incidents.
The persecution of the Jews in the 1930s produced some heart-breaking scenes. Once a German Jewish refugee was literally lying on the border while the German border guards pulled his legs while the Dutch helpers tried to pull him into the Netherlands by his arms. The attempt to escape failed miserably. Three photo boards bring remarkable moments from the history of the Nieuwstraat to life.
Nieuwstraat, Kerkrade