Then & now Wageningen; picture wanted!
 

Hello all,

On the "old" forum i´ve been researching some "then & now" pictures. One of the suggestions i got from one of you was a nice picture of the town square of Wageningen, with a line up of Canadian soldiers.
Ever since i got the new PC i lost some of the pictures, including this one. I have had the intention of visiting this place for a long while now, and the ideal moment has come!
Next monday, May 5th. is our national liberation day. On this day we (the Military Depot Foundation) are invited to join the official celebrations in Wageningen. These are held there every year because that´s where the German forces in The Netherlands officially surrendered to the Allied forces, in presence of H.R.H. Prince Bernhard , with the documents being signed in hotel "De Wereld" (The World). There is still a plaque remembering this moment, and as far as i know the room has hardly been touched / changed ever since.
This actually is the only "event" the Prince still cares to visit nowadays, because of his age / health.
I will take the C60 if possible, so i thought it would be nice to place it in front of the Town Hal, and make a "now" picture.
So, if any one could help me to the picture, please!!
Thanks,

Martin.

Re: Wageningen
 

Martin;

This is the picture that Geoff posted to the old Forum on my behalf (30 Sep 2002), Lorne Scots Quarter Guard, in front of hotel "De Wereld" (The World), Wageningen, 9 July 1945.

Cheers :)

Wageningen now!
 

Thanks for the picture Mark!

Well, it took me some time to get there, but i did manage to get a picture of the builing in the above image. I discovered that this is not hotel "De Wereld", but the town hall. The Hotel is on the other side of the street, i was standing with my back towards it when i took the photo. Again, very little has changed over the years.

http://home.wxs.nl/~ijdo0017/wageningennu/home.html

Martin.

Re: Wageningen - Then & Now
 

Great picture Martin, about the only things that have changed are the fashion of people's clothes and it looks like the large window on the right of the '45 photo (upper floor) has been 'unbricked' and the edge of the roof above it has changed slightly.

Cheers :)

What's happening in Wageningen...
 

Hello Martin

What's the occasion being marked in the photo.

There's TV coverage and a marching band?

Steve:confused:

National Liberation day
 

Hello Steve,

The happening is our annual celebrations of our national liberation day, may 5. On this day, a veterans parade is held in Wageningen, marching past the place where the surrender was signed (Hotel de Wereld) with H.R.H. Prince Bernhard inspecting the troops. He was the official Dutch representative back then, and thus is still present as such. How long nobody knows though, because he is in his nineties now!
This event is coverd by national TV, hence the reporters (the lady in beige suit is actually quite famous here!) and camera´s.
Cheers,

Martin.

Re: the town square of Wageningen
 

Hi Martin;

Was looking for something else and came across this - taken 5 May 1945 in Wageningen - look at the building in the background - look familiar.

Cheers :)

Great picture
 

Nice pic Mark, thanks. Now this is, as you said, facing the same building. The Hotel is inmediately left of the staff car behind the Kübel, just out of this picture.
As you mentioned it was taken on May 5, the first day of negotiations. There is some interesting film footage from this day, and judging by the quality of the picture, this might just as well heve been taken from it.
The actual agreement was not signed till May 8 by the way, and it took place in the "Aula", another building also across the street from the town hall, but on the righthand side of the hotel.
Because official negotiations started on May 5 in Hotel de Wereld, this is our official liberation day.
Cheers,

Martin.