Mural about Market Garden

Photo: A Nijmegen Padre Carmelite takes care of a wounded German soldier on the ramp of the Waal Bridge.

Zware gevechten. Huizen die in vlammen opgaan. Burgers die naar de schuilkelders vluchten. Een wijkzuster die door een Duitse soldaat langs versperringen geholpen wordt, op weg naar een bevalling. Een jongetje dat stoer naast een Amerikaanse militair loopt, diens helm op zijn koppie. Beelden van de felle strijd in de Nijmeegse binnenstad in september 1944. Ze komen mogelijk terug op een muurschildering op De Lindenberg Cultuurhuis.

Het zijn heftige, verwarrende tijden in september 1944 in Nijmegen. Er wordt volop gevochten om de Waalbrug en de spoorbrug. Het is om die bruggen te doen, als Amerikaanse parachutisten op zondag 17 september 1944 landen bij Groesbeek, als onderdeel van de operatie Market Garden. Hiermee willen de geallieerden alle bruggen over rivieren en kanalen tussen België en Arnhem binnen een dag in handen krijgen, om via deze route op te trekken naar het Duitse Ruhrgebied. Er landen niet alleen bij Groesbeek parachutisten, maar bijvoorbeeld ook bij Grave en Oosterbeek, om respectievelijk de bruggen over de Maas en de Rijn te veroveren.

The Americans' advance into Nijmegen went fairly smoothly. Once in the city center they encounter heavy resistance from the German army. They set fire to whole blocks of houses in the city center in order to get a free field of fire. The Germans wanted to keep the road and rail bridges at all costs. They defended them with heavy equipment. Heavy and bloody fighting followed. Only when the Americans cross the Waal with canvas boats on September 20 and attack the bridges from the north side, is the battle settled. The Americans gain control of both bridges, Nijmegen is liberated.
At that time, German tanks have already recaptured the Arnhem Rhine Bridge from the British. Thus, the goal of Market Garden, a free advance towards Germany, is still out of sight.

Lindenberg Cultuurhuis at Ridderstraat in Nijmegen lies right in the area where heavy fighting took place. As part of the 'Waalpaintings' project, a large mural about Market Garden is now envisaged on a facade of this building. 'Waalpaintings' is a project of Radboud Institute for Culture and History, with the aim of making Nijmegen's rich but often no longer visible urban history visible again through murals in the city. Murals have previously been installed about the Roman era, Charlemagne, the Peace of Nijmegen and the Four Days Marches, among others.

Artist Gerco Hiddink of Studio Hartebeest has been asked to take care of the mural about Market Garden. The first design is now ready and ripe for presentation. The actual painting will be installed in September and October.

Hiddink on the creation of his work: "Market Garden was of course an intense period, with heavy fighting. But we did not want a bloody scene at De Lindenberg. After all, many children come there. Of course the air landings and the gliders should be reflected in the painting, but in the distance. You look from north to south. And the Waal crossing. But also details, like about that little boy with the soldier. A lot happened, there's a lot to see. It will be a graphic visual story."

Eyewitness accounts as a starting point

Gerco Hiddink: "The starting point for the mural is the many eyewitness accounts recorded during and immediately after Operation Market Garden. For besides a military operation, Market Garden was an event of almost apocalyptic proportions for ordinary Nijmegen citizens. While above ground in the burning streets a fierce battle was fought between Allied and German soldiers, below ground in the many air-raid shelters civilians sat in anxious anticipation of the course of the battle. Where at any moment a direct hit on their basement could mean an end to their lives. For the mural, many historical images were used as reference.'

Photo: Nijmegen citizens seek shelter in the shelter of St. Canisius College.

For more information about the mural see: www.vrijheidregionijmegen.nl
For more information about the Nijmegen murals see: www.waalpaintings.nl

Photos: Nijmegen Regional Archives