Exhibition | Flights then and now

Van oktober 2024 tot eind 2025 presenteert de Stichting Thornsche Molen een grensoverschrijdend project met als thema "Vluchten Toen en Nu" in het kader van 80 jaar Vrijheid.

The theme was chosen with the background of the evacuation of the residents of the hamlet of Thornsche Molen at the time of WW2 in late September 1944. They had to flee the violence of war and so did many other groups and, of course, the residents on the German side of the border. We want and must continue to remember the destruction of the hamlet but now, 80 years later, we are going to celebrate freedom above all! We will do this with the cooperation and involvement of our German neighbors! It is important to emphasize the preservation of our democracy and freedom with this project. We want to make an effort to involve the current generations and especially the youth in the project! The last group is formed by schoolchildren of elementary school Op Weg in Ooij and the Grundschule Christophorus in Kranenburg. We also want to pay attention to the NOW refugees who can be found in our region, such as Syrians and Ukrainians.

FREEDOM is not a given and we must continue to fight it!

Exposition

Both Dutch and German visitors to the information center are constantly informed about the history of the Mill and the region, lest we forget!!! The current situation in Europe also makes it necessary to dwell on important values such as Freedom, Peace and Democracy.

Refugees then, evacuees then, what happened, what did they have to endure? There are still and again refugees, what is their story? All were and are on their way to freedom. FREEDOM, which we have been privileged to experience for 80 years now!

In the exhibition we pay attention to the stories of the 4 families who fled in late September 1944, had to evacuate from the hamlet of Thornsche Molen and faced an uncertain fate. This is done through a photo wall, documents from this period and interviews with survivors and descendants of these families. Attention will also be paid to the stories of Syrians and Ukrainians who fled to our region. Elementary school students from Ooij and Kranenburg will participate in the project. The theme will be developed into art products that will fill the showcases. In this way we want to involve new generations in the subject of 80 years of freedom: "Lest we forget"!

Menschenskinder

The landmark "Menschenkinder" was created as part of the celebration of 75 years of freedom in 2019 and the idea for it was developed by the then project manager of the municipality of Berg and Dal, and former chairman of the Thornsche Molen Foundation. According to the artist Anne Thoss, the sculptures represent fleeing people. They refer to the refugees/evacuees, Dutch and German, of 80 years ago, but also to refugees of today. The cross-border nature of this work of art is underlined by the fact that both the artist and the maker of the sculptures have German nationality and that the sculpture group is half on German and half on Dutch territory.

Vector of Memory

The 'Vector of Memory' is a special marker on the international Hiking Trails Liberation Route Europe, a network of no less than 10,000 kilometers of hiking trails along museums, monuments, cemeteries and historic sites that recall the final phase of World War II. The Vector is a monumental signpost in a series of several "Vectors of Memory," designed by renowned American architect Daniel Libeskind.