Transcripts, new videos and online exhibit reveal final days before the Liberation of the Netherlands and V-E Day

This week marked the 75th anniversaries of The Liberation of the Netherlands and V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day).

After five years of being under German occupation, the First Canadian Army liberated the people of the Netherlands, on May 5, 1945. Three days later, on May 8, 1945, the Germans surrendered. Today it is known as V-E Day.

To commemorate the occasions, the Canadian War Museum, the British Government Communication Headquarters and Veterans Affairs Canada have released intriguing and revealing videos, plus an online exhibit. 

The U.K.’s intelligence and security organization Government Communication Headquarters released a two-minute video revealing transcripts from the German Brown Network leading up to V-E Day. 

The Brown Network: The final messages of German signallers in World War Two, narrated by British historian Tony Comer reveals the last communications of the network. 

“Auf Wiedersehen is the last message analysts at Bletchley Park heard as a network of German Signallers turned off their radios in the last days of the Second World War,” said Tony Comer in the video.

To mark #VEDay75 our Historian Tony Comer tells an untold tale from our archives.

For the first time he reveals the final messages intercepted by GCHQ from a German communications network in the days leading up to #VEDay ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/K7hLcN9c1J

— GCHQ (@GCHQ) May 8, 2020

Comer explains how the network declined in last few months due to the Allies advancing through Europe. 

“British troops have entered the town, and the last operator wishes his colleges luck (alles gute). Lt. Kunkel sends the Brown Network’s final message ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ and closes the network ‘fuer immer,’ forever,” explained Comer.  

To mark Canada’s contribution to the Liberation of the Netherlands and V-E Day, the Canadian War Museum released a 10-minute video featuring Dr. Tim Cook, bestselling author and acting director of research at the Canadian War Museum. 

“Now more than ever, it is important to reflect on Canada’s commitment to that conflict,” said Dr. Cook in the video. 

Containing historical images, footage, and personal accounts, Cook offers his thought on the service, commitment, and sacrifice of our nation. 

Plus, the Canadian War Museum also released a new online exhibition. 

The exhibition explores the critical role Canadians played in the liberation of the Netherlands as the Second World War came to an end. 

Featuring a dynamic web page and images from the Second World War, the exhibition is very informative and impressive. 

It focuses on Canada’s contribution to the Second World War and explains the various operations Canadians participated in, like Operation Manna and Chowhound. 

The operation had the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 405 Squadron help mark drop zones for British bombers, which many had Canadian crew members. 

Also included is the image of Canadian General Charles Foulkes as he accepted the surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands on May 5, 1945. 

On Friday afternoon to mark V-E Day Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) released 75th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands and V-E Day.

The video marks the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (V-E) Day and honours all those who fought bravely in the cause of peace and freedom.

“There have been many proud chapters in Canada’s military history, but one of the best-known and most significant was the Liberation of the Netherlands in the closing days of the Second World War in Europe,” described VAC on it’s YouTube Channel.

The video features personal memories from veterans that served during the Second World War, their recounts of finding out the war was over, video footage from 1945, messages from Canada’s Governor General Julie Payette, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay, and more.

Lest We Forget.

Above image: Dutch civilians and Canadian Army troops celebrating the Liberation. 7 May 1945 / Utrecht, Netherlands. Credit: Alexander M. Stirton/Canada. Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/PA-134377 and courtesy of the British Government Communication Headquarters The Brown Network: The final messages of German signallers in World War Two.