Before the outbreak of World War Two, German intelligence reports had stated that the Grebbeberg as part of the defensive Dutch Grebbenline posed a vulnerable spot. During the German invasion of the Netherlands on the 10th of May 1940, known as operation “Fall Gelb”, the position was expected to be overrun in a day. Yet it would take the German Army with a total force of 23.000 soldiers until the 13th of May to break through the line.
The three day battle is known as the “Battle of the Grebbeberg“.
War Cemetery
The Netherlands surrendered only a day later on 14 May, after the Bombing of Rotterdam. Around 400 Dutch- and 260 German soldiers lost their lives during the battle. On orders of the German invaders, the victims of the battle from both sides were gathered and buried in this cemetery on the Grebbeberg, in the same ground they had fought each other.
During the war the cemetery drew people from all over the country to visit the Grebbeberg and memorial services were held at the site to commemorate the fallen.
Military Field of Honor
After the liberation of the Netherlands, the cemetery became a national memorial site and the German graves were removed and interred at the German War Cemetery in Ysselsteyn, Limburg.
From 1946, soldiers who died in other places in the Netherlands during the May days of 1940 were also buried on the Grebbeberg. The field of honor now holds more than 850 graves.
Memorial for Soldiers with an unknown grave
This memorial holds the names of 138 Dutch soldiers who fell during the German invasion in May and have an unknown grave.
Information center
The cemetery has its own information center on the cemetery grounds. Here you can find more background information about the Battle of the Grebbeberg and the men that are buried here.
Visit
You can visit the cemetery during the day time.
