1944

In late 1944, Allied troops cross from Belgium into the Netherlands. Hope and a longing for freedom — now seemingly within reach — surge through the country: Operation Market Garden is under way.

Vast numbers of paratroopers make the perilous jump to seize enemy-held territory south of the Rhine. Intense fighting and attempts to cross and secure the river cost the liberating forces enormous losses. The ground troops advancing from the south arrive too late, and there is no choice but to call Operation Market Garden off.

What looked like a swift liberation of the Netherlands turns into a long, bitter struggle. To make matters worse, a harsh winter follows: hunger and cold gnaw at hope and at the prospect of a liberated Netherlands.

Radio fragments

The composition 1944 depicts these events using original radio fragments from 1944.

• Fragment A
• Fragment B
• Fragment C
• Fragment D