Liberation festivities

The entry of the Americans and British in Limburg between 12 September 1944 and 3 March 1945 sparked spontaneous liberation festivities everywhere. Finally liberated from the hated German yoke and the violence of war; finally able to breath freely. Liberation had taken such a long time to arrive and been looked forward to so very much. The rest of the Netherlands followed not much later. On 5 May 1945 at 8 o'clock in the morning, the German capitulation went into effect throughout the Netherlands. All that joy over freedom regained deserved an outlet. Therefore, liberation festivities and liberation parades were organised throughout the country in the next few weeks and months.

Including in Nederweert. On 9 June 1945, a magnificent three-day liberation celebration with a parade was kicked off. Every hamlet contributed to the celebration by constructing one or more floats. The carnivalesque streak of the people of Limburg came in handy. Some participants dressed up as members of the Royal Family, while others held Hitler and his Nazi scum up for ridicule. Brass band St. Joseph added lustre to the party.