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168-412: [REDACTED] Chronology of the liberation Operation Pheasant , also known as the Liberation of North Brabant , was a major operation to clear German troops from the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands during the fighting on the Western Front in the Second World War . This offensive was conceived as a result of the failure of Operation Market Garden and the allied effort to capture

336-471: A pervasive cult of personality around Adolf Hitler to influence public opinion. The government controlled artistic expression, promoting specific art forms and banning or discouraging others. Genocide , mass murder , and large-scale forced labour became hallmarks of the regime; the implementation of the regime's racial policies culminated in the Holocaust . After the initial success of German invasion of

504-579: A sugar factory, supplying its best-known products. Breda formerly housed the largest brewery in the Netherlands ( Oranjeboom ). The multinational Interbrew took over the brewery in 1995 and then closed it in 2004. Production of the Breda brand was moved to both Bremen and Leuven until 2008, when Randalls Brewery (in Guernsey) acquired the licence. Guernsey is now the only place in the world where draught Breda

672-632: A bridgehead across the canal before the end of October. With the Canadian Army already in Esschen and Bergen Op Zoom, the formations of the German LXVII Corps in the area of Korteven were in danger of encirclement and Otto Sponheimer's LXVII corps had already been authorised to start a general withdrawal. The Canadians were thus able to take Korteven and the area between it and the sea were cleared which meant that they were able to turn their attention to

840-466: A bridgehead west of the bend in the river Meuse (known as Maas in Dutch and German ) near the city of Venlo . Operation Aintree was launched to destroy this bridgehead and the threat was removed albeit at high cost in taking Overloon and Venray. However this meant that the flank further West towards Tilburg and 's-Hertogenbosch became a threat also which needed to be extinguished as well as to broaden

1008-582: A bumpy and exposed ride but they had soon linked up with the infantry. Supported by these tanks the East Lancs attempted to capture the two bridges over the River Aa and Zuid Willems Vaart Canal in line on the road leading from Hintham. The River Aa bridge was taken intact, but the bridge over the Zuid Willems Vaart Canal was blown. The battalion then took up positions between the two canals then moved into

1176-485: A communist uprising. The Reichstag Fire Decree , imposed on 28 February 1933, rescinded most civil liberties, including rights of assembly and freedom of the press. The decree also allowed the police to detain people indefinitely without charges. The legislation was accompanied by a propaganda campaign that led to public support for the measure. Violent suppression of communists by the SA was undertaken nationwide and 4,000 members of

1344-484: A couple of years the event was free of charge to the public, due to sponsoring by a major bank. When the sponsorship ended a relative high fee was charged to enter the event. In 2024 together Breda and Tilburg host the Special Olympics National Games. The biggest national sports event aseptically for people with a mental disability. 2500 athletes competed in 21 sports. Between August 8 and 20 - 2023

1512-551: A little over a month of his time in exile during the Cromwellian Commonwealth and Protectorate , thanks to the proximity of Charles's sister Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange , the widow of Prince William II of Orange (died 1650). Based mostly on suggestions by the Parliamentarian General George Monck , Charles II's Declaration of Breda (1660) announced his conditions for accepting

1680-489: A massive anti-tank ditch had to be crossed which they achieved. Soon the 49th Division would face a German counterattack. The loss of the Esschen and its vital crossroads angered Oberkommando der Wehrmacht realising this had been its weakest point. Withdrawal was refused and the commander of LXVII Corps Otto Sponheimer launched a large counterattack. The 49th felt the full brunt of 245th Infantry Division 's counterattack which had been instructed to retake Wuestwezel with

1848-640: A non-aggression pact with Poland. In March 1939, Hitler demanded the return of the Free City of Danzig and the Polish Corridor , a strip of land that separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany. The British announced they would come to the aid of Poland if it was attacked. Hitler, believing the British would not take action, ordered an invasion plan should be readied for September 1939. On 23 May, Hitler described to his generals his overall plan of not only seizing

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2016-469: A protectorate of France under the condition that its residents would later decide by referendum which country to join, and Poland became a separate nation and was given access to the sea by the creation of the Polish Corridor , which separated Prussia from the rest of Germany, while Danzig was made a free city . Germany regained control of the Saarland through a referendum held in 1935 and annexed Austria in

2184-459: A second national anthem. Germany was still in a dire economic situation, as six million people were unemployed and the balance of trade deficit was daunting. Using deficit spending , public works projects were undertaken beginning in 1934, creating 1.7 million new jobs by the end of that year alone. Average wages began to rise. The SA leadership continued to apply pressure for greater political and military power. In response, Hitler used

2352-741: A substantial minority of Germans, who lived mostly in the Sudetenland . Under pressure from separatist groups within the Sudeten German Party , the Czechoslovak government offered economic concessions to the region. Hitler decided not just to incorporate the Sudetenland into the Reich, but to destroy the country of Czechoslovakia entirely. The Nazis undertook a propaganda campaign to try to generate support for an invasion. Top German military leaders opposed

2520-617: A thousand people (out of a population of around 16,000) committed suicide in Demmin around 1 May 1945 as the 65th Army of 2nd Belorussian Front first broke into a distillery and then rampaged through the town, committing mass rapes, arbitrarily executing civilians, and setting fire to buildings. High numbers of suicides took place in many other locations, including Neubrandenburg (600 dead), Stolp in Pommern (1,000 dead), and Berlin, where at least 7,057 people committed suicide in 1945. Estimates of

2688-872: A war fought on two fronts. The invasion conquered a huge area, including the Baltic states, Belarus , and west Ukraine . After the successful Battle of Smolensk in September 1941, Hitler ordered Army Group Centre to halt its advance to Moscow and temporarily divert its Panzer groups to aid in the encirclement of Leningrad and Kyiv . This pause provided the Red Army with an opportunity to mobilise fresh reserves. The Moscow offensive, which resumed in October 1941, ended disastrously in December . On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor , Hawaii. Four days later, Germany declared war on

2856-504: A war of conquest to obtain more territory. The Saarland , which had been placed under League of Nations supervision for 15 years at the end of World War I, voted in January 1935 to become part of Germany. In March 1935, Hitler announced the creation of an air force, and that the Reichswehr would be increased to 550,000 men. Britain agreed to Germany building a naval fleet with the signing of

3024-618: Is NAC Breda . The club plays in the Eredivisie and their home stadion is the Rat Verlegh Stadion . The club became National Champion, once in 1921. The former Cadet football association ‘Velocitas’ of the military academy won the Holdertbeker (the predecessor of the KNVB Cup ) in 1899-1900. Besides NAC there are more amateur football clubs among others; Breda also plays a big role in

3192-460: Is West Brabantian , which is very similar to colloquial Dutch . As in other cities and villages in the south of the Netherlands, 40 days before Easter the citizens of Breda celebrate Carnaval . A four day chain of foolish events, silliness, nonsensical costumes and a small beer on the side. During the event the mayor of the city, symbolically turns over the keys to the city to “ Prince Carnaval ” and his ‘Council of 11’. Breda has 4 festive monarchs,

3360-435: Is also focused on art related to the colour red. Activities during the festival are lectures, workshops and demonstrations. The festival attracts attendance from 20 countries and was free due to sponsorship of the local government. Furthermore, some people referred to Breda as the opposite of burning man. As the festival grew bigger they needed a new spot to host the ever growing event. Breda's only professional football club ,

3528-599: Is brewed. However, the decline of industrial activity did not harm the city's economy. Nowadays, Breda is a service oriented economy based on business, trade and logistics. A growing number of international companies choose to establish their head office for Benelux operations and manufacturing in Breda. Examples of these companies are 3M Abbott Laboratories , Alfa Laval , Amgen , Dockwise , ExxonMobil , General Electric , General Motors , Krohne Oil & Gas , Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers , Scania , Texaco , and Toshiba . Also,

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3696-512: Is called ‘ Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs ' (MBO). This type of education is called ‘Hoger Beroepsonderwijs’ (HBO) The city center contains old buildings and portions of the singels ( moats ) and the harbour. Focal point is the Grote Markt, the main square with pubs and sidewalk cafes. Park Valkenberg is a major public park, halfway between the main railway station Breda and the Grote Markt. Major historic buildings include: The spoken dialect

3864-510: Is visited by a large Polish contingent and the city of Breda reserves a special portion of the festivities for the fallen Polish soldiers. A museum and a monument honoring Maczek and the Polish 1st Armoured Division stands in the city center. General Maczek and many soldiers of his division are buried in the nearby Polish military cemetery. Breda was the site of one of the first panopticon prison establishments, Koepelgevangenis . This prison housed

4032-631: Is with around 2000 members, the largest club of its kind in the Netherlands. Beside the usual athletics sports at their own track, they offer, nordic walking , tai chi , bootcamp and parasports . And a lot more... Every year in October, the Bredase Singelloop  [ nl ] is a major road running event on the half marathon distance with a field of national and international athletes. Similar events are held in Princenhage (10 van ’t Aogje) and Haagse Beemden (Haagse Beemden Loop) although

4200-459: The Schutzstaffel (SS) and Gestapo to purge the entire SA leadership. Hitler targeted SA Stabschef (Chief of Staff) Ernst Röhm and other SA leaders who—along with a number of Hitler's political adversaries (such as Gregor Strasser and former chancellor Kurt von Schleicher )—were arrested and shot. Up to 200 people were killed from 30 June to 2 July 1934 in an event that became known as

4368-569: The Völkisch movement . The party, especially its paramilitary organisation Sturmabteilung (SA; Storm Detachment), or Brownshirts, used physical violence to advance their political position, disrupting the meetings of rival organisations and attacking their members as well as Jewish people on the streets. Such far-right armed groups were common in Bavaria , and were tolerated by the sympathetic far-right state government of Gustav Ritter von Kahr . When

4536-589: The 1st Parachute Army on the 15th Army's left, should take command of all German forces in the north-western part of the Netherlands known as Army Group Student . This came formally into existence on 11 November and was later renamed Army Group H with three army groups on the Western Front. Nazi Germany Nazi Germany , officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich ,

4704-535: The 6th Army could be supplied by air, but this turned out to be infeasible. Hitler's refusal to allow a retreat led to the deaths of 200,000 German and Romanian soldiers; of the 91,000 men who surrendered in the city on 31 January 1943, only 6,000 survivors returned to Germany after the war. Losses continued to mount after Stalingrad, leading to a sharp reduction in the popularity of the Nazi Party and deteriorating morale. Soviet forces continued to push westward after

4872-706: The Anglo-German Naval Agreement on 18 June 1935. When the Italian invasion of Ethiopia led to only mild protests by the British and French governments, on 7 March 1936 Hitler used the Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance as a pretext to order the army to march 3,000 troops into the demilitarised zone in the Rhineland in violation of the Versailles Treaty. As the territory was part of Germany,

5040-561: The Anschluss of 1938. The Munich Agreement of 1938 gave Germany control of the Sudetenland, and they seized the remainder of Czechoslovakia six months later. Under threat of invasion by sea, Lithuania surrendered the Memel district in March 1939. Between 1939 and 1941, German forces invaded Poland , Denmark , Norway , France , Luxembourg , the Netherlands , Belgium , Yugoslavia , Greece , and

5208-558: The Battle of Berlin (16 April – 2 May 1945), Hitler and his staff lived in the underground Führerbunker while the Red Army approached. On 30 April, when Soviet troops were within two blocks of the Reich Chancellery , Hitler and his wife Eva Braun committed suicide . On 2 May, General Helmuth Weidling unconditionally surrendered Berlin to Soviet General Vasily Chuikov . Hitler

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5376-516: The British 2nd Army would attack from the Netherlands on the exposed Western flank of the Nijmegen corridor. The overall operation codenamed Pheasan t would start on 20 October. On the first day 53rd Welsh and 7th Armoured (Operation Alan) would clear 's-Hertogenbosch. The city with a population of 50,000 was effectively a medieval fortress with ramparts , a moat and a citadel intersected by waterways:

5544-707: The Communist Party of Germany were arrested. On 23 March 1933, the Enabling Act , an amendment to the Weimar Constitution , passed in the Reichstag by a vote of 444 to 94. This amendment allowed Hitler and his cabinet to pass laws—even laws that violated the constitution—without the consent of the president or the Reichstag. As the bill required a two-thirds majority to pass, the Nazis used intimidation tactics as well as

5712-622: The German Empire (1871–1918) as the second. Severe setbacks to the German economy began after World War I ended, partly because of reparations payments required under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles . The government printed money to make the payments and to repay the country's war debt, but the resulting hyperinflation led to inflated prices, economic chaos, and food riots. When the government defaulted on their reparations payments in January 1923, French troops occupied German industrial areas along

5880-629: The Governor General's Foot Guards headed towards Steenbergen. After some confusion as to who was defending the city, mostly the 711th Infantry Division , the South Alberta Regiment and the Lincoln and Welland Regiment advanced on the town the following day and entered the Grote Market. They then liberated most of the city, in which they reported "the reception of the people of Bergen Op Zoom

6048-553: The Hague Convention , industrial firms in the Netherlands, France, and Belgium were put to work producing war materiel for Germany. The Nazis seized from the French thousands of locomotives and rolling stock, stockpiles of weapons, and raw materials such as copper, tin, oil, and nickel. Payments for occupation costs were levied upon France, Belgium, and Norway. Barriers to trade led to hoarding, black markets , and uncertainty about

6216-484: The Herzogenbusch concentration camp – a Konzentrationslager ( concentration camp ) built on Dutch soil. The position in the town was confusing as 7th Black Watch were subjected to heavy shelling and mortaring from the area of Fort Isabella, but by 1500 this too was also overcome. Meanwhile, 7th Armoured Brigade had been halted by German guns at Loon op Zand – 153rd Brigade were sent to assist and together they took

6384-595: The House of Nassau ensured that Breda would be at the center of political and social life in the Low Countries . Breda had a population of 184,126 in 2021; the metropolitan area had a population of 324,812. In the 11th century, Breda was a direct fief of the Holy Roman Emperor , its earliest known lord being Henry of Brunesheim (1080–1125). The city of Breda obtained a municipal charter in 1252. After that Breda had

6552-502: The League of Nations in October, claiming its disarmament clauses were unfair if they applied only to Germany. In a referendum held in November , 95 per cent of voters supported Germany's withdrawal. In 1934, Hitler told his military leaders that rearmament needed to be complete by 1942, as by then the German people would require more living space and resources, so Germany would have to start

6720-602: The Lincoln and Welland Regiment had moved ahead on tanks to a roadway just south and east of the city. The Canadian advance towards Bergen op Zoom forced Von Rundstedt to redeploy the elite 6th Parachute Regiment , which until then had been blocking the 2nd Canadian Division on the Beveland isthmus to the defence of Bergen op Zoom. The Algonquin Regiment trying to encircle German positions at Steenbergen just north of Bergen Op Zoom while

6888-701: The Low Countries . They quickly conquered Luxembourg and the Netherlands and outmanoeuvred the Allies in Belgium , forcing the evacuation of many British and French troops at Dunkirk . France fell as well, surrendering to Germany on 22 June . The victory in France resulted in an upswing in Hitler's popularity and an upsurge in war fever in Germany. In violation of the provisions of

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7056-566: The Nazi euthanasia program . Political courts called Sondergerichte sentenced some 12,000 members of the German resistance to death, and civil courts sentenced an additional 40,000 Germans. Mass rapes of German women also took place. As a result of their defeat in World War I and the resulting Treaty of Versailles, Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine , Northern Schleswig , and Memel . The Saarland became

7224-702: The Night of the Long Knives . On 2 August 1934, Hindenburg died. The previous day, the cabinet had enacted the " Law Concerning the Head of State of the German Reich ", which stated that upon Hindenburg's death the office of Reich President would be abolished and its powers merged with those of Reich Chancellor. Hitler thus became head of state as well as head of government and was formally named as Führer und Reichskanzler ("Leader and Chancellor"), although eventually Reichskanzler

7392-511: The Ruhr and widespread civil unrest followed. The National Socialist German Workers' Party ( Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei ), commonly known as the Nazi Party, was founded in 1920. It was the renamed successor of the German Workers' Party (DAP) formed one year earlier, and one of several far-right political parties then active. The Nazi Party platform included destruction of

7560-520: The Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. Germany signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union and invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, launching World War II in Europe . In alliance with Italy and other Axis powers , Germany conquered most of Europe by 1940 and threatened Great Britain. Racism , Nazi eugenics , anti-Slavism , and especially antisemitism were central ideological features of

7728-457: The Thousand-Year Reich , ended in May 1945, after only 12 years, when the Allies defeated Germany and entered the capital, Berlin , ending World War II in Europe . After Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by the President of the Weimar Republic Paul von Hindenburg on 30 January 1933, the Nazi Party began to eliminate political opposition and consolidate power. Hindenburg died on 2 August 1934, and Hitler became dictator by merging

7896-409: The defeat at the Rhine bridge in Arnhem . The advance stopped south of the Lower Rhine , resulting in a narrow salient that ran from the north of Belgium across the south-east of the Netherlands and was vulnerable to attack. German assaults in this salient, particularly at Nijmegen were repelled , and the allies named this region "the island". German forces attacked another part of the salient from

8064-414: The federal election of 1932 , the party was the largest in the Reichstag , holding 230 seats with 37.4 per cent of the popular vote. Although the Nazis won the greatest share of the popular vote in the two Reichstag general elections of 1932, they did not have a majority. Hitler refused to participate in a coalition government unless he was its leader. Under pressure from politicians, industrialists, and

8232-449: The 'Eerde Line' to Liempde between Boxtel and Veghel . The attack took place at dawn on October 23 and the Highlanders took Schijndel with relative ease and then pressed on despite stiffening resistance. 152nd brigade attacked the woods east of the River Dommel and the area opposite Boxtel and the Schijndel dyke. Against hardened paratroopers the Scots took their objectives albeit with some loss. Eventually they reached Vught and liberated

8400-486: The 4th Canadian Armoured Division moved in the direction of Breda. The Polar Bears were to attack towards Loenhout , and then unleash Clarkeforce to exploit the breakthrough and move up the main road to Wuustwezel in Operation Rebound. On 20 October Rebound started with a barrage following which Clarkeforce was launched at 16.00, bypassing some strongpoints to be mopped up by supporting troops, and reached an area known as 'Stone Bridge'. The fight for this point took most of

8568-407: The Allied bombing campaign became even more devastating. By targeting oil refineries and factories, they crippled the German war effort by late 1944. On 6 June 1944, American, British, and Canadian forces established a front in France with the D-Day landings in Normandy . On 20 July 1944 , Hitler survived an assassination attempt. He ordered brutal reprisals, resulting in 7,000 arrests and

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8736-429: The Allies had launched Operation Market Garden , a major offensive from the Dutch-Belgian border across the south of the Netherlands through Eindhoven and Nijmegen toward the Rhine bridge at Arnhem . The goal was to cross the Rhine and bypass the Siegfried Line in preparation for the final drive towards Berlin . Allied airborne troops managed to take the bridges but delays and toughening resistance resulted in

8904-442: The Austrian Succession , which ultimately led to the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle . During the Second World War , the city was under German occupation for over four years. During Operation Pheasant Breda was liberated following a successful outflanking manoeuvre planned and performed by forces of 1st Polish Armoured Division of General Maczek on 28 October 1944. Each year during Liberation Day festivities, Breda

9072-405: The British 49th Polar Bears Division supported by the 34th Armoured Brigade . Operation Suitcase commenced at the same time as Pheasant and the Belgian town of Esschen was taken two days later by the Algonquin Regiment . The advance was hindered by mines and road blocks but actual combat had been scarce so far. This changed dramatically after crossing the Dutch border when Wouwse Plantage

9240-420: The British I Corps. Facing these two corps was the German 15th Army of Heeresgruppe ‘B’ ("Army Group B") commanded by General Gustav-Adolf von Zangen . This was itself composed of the LXXXIX Corps, LXVII Corps and LXXXVIII Corps. The attack began on the night of 22 October – the Royal Artillery of XII Corps opened fire on known German positions in the village of Nuland . The Corps advanced soon after but

9408-411: The British advance and they found the bridge over the River Maas blown up. After taking Schijndel and having reached Boxtel the Scots moved in only to find it having been abandoned by the Germans. In the wild celebrations that followed 2nd Seaforth managed to rescue 100 escaped soldiers and airmen from 1st Airborne Division who had made it out of Arnhem. The bridge at Hal however was blown and held by

9576-405: The British and French governments did not feel that attempting to enforce the treaty was worth the risk of war. In the one-party election held on 29 March, the Nazis received 98.9 per cent support. In 1936, Hitler signed an Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan and a non-aggression agreement with Mussolini, who was soon referring to a "Rome-Berlin Axis". Hitler sent military supplies and assistance to

9744-411: The Division was divided into two battle-groups to start the liberation of Breda. A southern battle-group advanced from Gilze through Bavel to the southern outskirts of Breda. The northern battle-group attacked via the villages of Molenschot and Dorst , to later encircle the northern outskirts of the town. In the early hours of October 29 both battle-groups started the attack on the town of Breda. Gilze

9912-428: The Dutch as well as the Germans by complete surprise. The 15th Scots were thus held up from advancing further. The Scots Greys were able to advance towards the town of Goirle where they were to link up with elements of the Polish 1st armoured Division. The 15th Division and later the 6th Guards Tank Brigade were ordered to rejoin VIII Corps with all haste on the eastern flank, where a German counterattack had started on

10080-403: The European Para Championships were held in Breda. 1500 athletes from 45 country’s participated in the event. In 2011, the ParaGamesBreda received 3000 athletes from 40 country’s. In 2017 the NAC Breda Stadion was one of the hosts of the ‘Women’s European Football Championship.’ Together with Enschede , Deventer , Rotterdam , Tilburg , Doetinchem and Utrecht . The dutch women won

10248-573: The German National People's Party – their former coalition partners – which then disbanded on 29 June. The remaining major political parties followed suit. On 14 July 1933 Germany became a one-party state with the passage of the Law Against the Formation of Parties , decreeing the Nazi Party to be the sole legal party in Germany. The founding of new parties was also made illegal, and all remaining political parties which had not already been dissolved were banned. Further elections in November 1933 , 1936 , and 1938 were Nazi-controlled, with only members of

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10416-411: The German state in the Nazi era are "Nazi Germany" and the "Third Reich", which Hitler and the Nazis also referred to as the "Thousand-Year Reich" ( Tausendjähriges Reich ). The latter, a translation of the Nazi propaganda term Drittes Reich , was first used in Das Dritte Reich , a 1923 book by Arthur Moeller van den Bruck . The book counted the Holy Roman Empire (962–1806) as the first Reich and

10584-464: The Germans in strength. Colin was now over and the division as a whole had a few days rest. Further to the south, the other Scots division the 15th moved toward Tilburg. After this successful phase there remained two German pockets south of the river Meuse of which the largest was around 's-Hertogenbosch. In the early hours of 24 October the 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment and the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment began their night march along

10752-426: The Loonschestraat line just west of Geffen . Nuland was cleared by 0745 with two German battalions on the run, later in the day a counterattack was then held off by machine gun fire. The 51st Highland composing of the 152nd, 153rd and 154th Brigades would attack from the village of Eerde near Veghel , about eleven miles from ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Facing the 51st was the veteran 59th Wehrmacht infantry division holding

10920-445: The Nationalist forces of General Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War , which began in July 1936. The German Condor Legion included a range of aircraft and their crews, as well as a tank contingent. The aircraft of the Legion destroyed the city of Guernica in 1937. The Nationalists were victorious in 1939 and became an informal ally of Nazi Germany. In February 1938, Hitler emphasised to Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg

11088-421: The Party and a small number of independents elected. All civilian organisations had their leadership replaced with Nazi sympathisers or party members, and either merged with the Nazi Party or faced dissolution. The Nazi government declared a "Day of National Labor" for May Day 1933, and invited many trade union delegates to Berlin for celebrations. The day after, SA stormtroopers demolished union offices around

11256-437: The Peel marshes just south-east of Eindhoven. The I British Corps launched their attack on October 23, in order to drive from the South Beveland isthmus towards the important Hollands Diep waterway, hoping to squeeze the Germans into a smaller space. The Corps comprised the 4th Canadian Division , 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade , 1st Polish Armoured Division , the newly arrived US 104th Timberwolves infantry division and

11424-407: The Poles' left flank the British 49th Infantry Division aimed to strike at the city of Willemstad and to force a bridgehead over the River Mark , which was the German 15th Army's only ferry and bridge crossing points over the one-mile wide Hollands Diep (part of the Maas Estuary). They would be assisted on its left flank with the US 104th Timberwolf Division which had been assigned to support

11592-403: The Polish Corridor but greatly expanding German territory eastward at the expense of Poland. He expected this time they would be met by force. The Germans reaffirmed their alliance with Italy and signed non-aggression pacts with Denmark, Estonia, and Latvia whilst trade links were formalised with Romania, Norway, and Sweden. Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop arranged in negotiations with

11760-408: The Prince of Breda, Princenhage, Haagse Beemden and the Baron of Ginneken. For the occasion the city is renamed to ‘Kielengat’. Musically, the carnaval events traditionally are enlivened by wind bands called ‘Dweilorkesten' (Mop Orchestra’s). All pubs and bars participate in the event and on Sunday and Monday a large parade of floats and foolish creations slides through the streets. The events ends on

11928-402: The RAF in what became known as the Battle of Britain , and by the end of October, Hitler realised that air superiority would not be achieved. He permanently postponed the invasion, a plan which the commanders of the German army had never taken entirely seriously. Several historians, including Andrew Gordon , believe the primary reason for the failure of the invasion plan was the superiority of

12096-527: The Railway Station, which by this time was burning fiercely. The advance continued into the night. The German garrison resisted fiercely with heavy house to house fighting but gradually the British attackers wore them down and many key buildings were secured and prisoners taken. The German garrison's Commander, Major Riehl was later captured during a sweep of the North. The next day mopping up operations began with

12264-701: The River Dommel and the Zuid Willems Canal . Operation Colin would involve the 51st Highland; they would attack along with the 15th Scottish on their left to capture the city of Tilburg and push north. The plan for the divisional attack from Sint-Oedenrode was that 153 Brigade's objective was the town of Schijndel , 152 Brigade to the left would clear the wooded area east of the River Dommel and 154 Brigade, mounted in Kangaroos , would be in reserve to exploit with

12432-845: The Royal Navy, not the actions of the RAF. In February 1941, the German Afrika Korps arrived in Libya to aid the Italians in the North African Campaign . On 6 April, Germany launched an invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece . All of Yugoslavia and parts of Greece were subsequently divided between Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Bulgaria. On 22 June 1941, contravening the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, about 3.8 million Axis troops attacked

12600-452: The Scheldt battle in which they conducted Operation Vitality . The I British Corps had continued to fight its way to the north in the coastal area and by the end of 27 October Stanisław Maczek ’s Polish 1st Armoured Division , close to the inter-army boundary (First Canadian and Second British), had embarked on a flanking attack on the city of Breda after cutting the road from Tilburg. There

12768-510: The Soviet Union . Germany annexed parts of northern Yugoslavia in April 1941, while Mussolini ceded Trieste , South Tyrol , and Istria to Germany in 1943. Breda As a fortified city , it was of strategic military and political significance. Although a direct fiefdom of the Holy Roman Emperor , the city obtained a municipal charter ; the acquisition of Breda, through marriage, by

12936-656: The Soviet Union a non-aggression pact, the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , signed in August 1939. The treaty also contained secret protocols dividing Poland and the Baltic states into German and Soviet spheres of influence. Germany's wartime foreign policy involved the creation of allied governments controlled directly or indirectly from Berlin. They intended to obtain soldiers from allies such as Italy and Hungary and workers and food supplies from allies such as Vichy France . Hungary

13104-565: The Soviet Union attacked from the east on 17 September. Reinhard Heydrich , chief of the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo; Security Police) and Sicherheitsdienst (SD; Security Service), ordered on 21 September that Polish Jews should be rounded up and concentrated into cities with good rail links. Initially the intention was to deport them further east, or possibly to Madagascar . Using lists prepared in advance , some 65,000 Polish intelligentsia, noblemen, clergy, and teachers were murdered by

13272-696: The Soviet Union in 1941, Nazi Germany attempted to implement the Generalplan Ost and Hunger Plan , as part of its war of extermination in Eastern Europe. The Soviet resurgence and entry of the US into the war meant Germany lost the initiative in 1943 and by late 1944 had been pushed back to the 1939 border. Large-scale aerial bombing of Germany escalated and the Axis powers were driven back in Eastern and Southern Europe. Germany

13440-493: The Soviet Union. In addition to Hitler's stated purpose of acquiring Lebensraum , this large-scale offensive—codenamed Operation Barbarossa —was intended to destroy the Soviet Union and seize its natural resources for subsequent aggression against the Western powers. The reaction among Germans was one of surprise and trepidation as many were concerned about how much longer the war would continue or suspected that Germany could not win

13608-531: The United States. Food was in short supply in the conquered areas of the Soviet Union and Poland, as the retreating armies had burned the crops in some areas, and much of the remainder was sent back to the Reich. In Germany, rations were cut in 1942. In his role as Plenipotentiary of the Four Year Plan , Hermann Göring demanded increased shipments of grain from France and fish from Norway. The 1942 harvest

13776-551: The Weimar Republic, rejection of the Treaty of Versailles, radical antisemitism , and anti- Bolshevism . They promised a strong central government, increased Lebensraum ("living space") for Germanic peoples, formation of a national community based on race, and racial cleansing via the active suppression of Jews , who would be stripped of their citizenship and civil rights. The Nazis proposed national and cultural renewal based upon

13944-500: The aim of taking Esch , Boxtel and Vught as well as the towns and villages south-east and south of 's-Hertogenbosch. The I British Corps commanded by Lieutenant-General John Crocker would support on the left flanks of Colin with the aim of the Polish 1st Armoured Division to capture the city of Breda and the Canadian 4th Armoured Division would attack towards Bergen-Op-Zoom . On

14112-480: The barony of Breda until it was captured by French revolutionary forces in 1795. The acquisition of the city by the House of Orange-Nassau marked its emergence as a residentiestad (residence city). The presence of the Orange-Nassau family attracted other nobles, who built palatial residences in the old quarters of the city. The most impressive one, built by the Italian architect Thomas Vincidor de Bologna for

14280-538: The battle and many more Germans. Farther to the south, a column of the 15th Division and 6th Guards Tank Brigade from their position near Moergestel had captured Oisterwijk in a brisk action in the early hours of the October 26. The main body of the 15th then joined in converging assaults on Tilburg, one of the largest industrial cities of Holland. The Scots were assisted by the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade who attacked from

14448-497: The blockade, imports into Germany declined by 80 per cent. To safeguard Swedish iron ore shipments to Germany, Hitler ordered the invasion of Denmark and Norway , which began on 9 April. Denmark fell after less than a day , while most of Norway followed by the end of the month. By early June, Germany occupied all of Norway . Against the advice of many of his senior military officers, in May 1940 Hitler ordered an attack on France and

14616-412: The bridgehead. Only when artillery was brought down on their own position was when the momentum of the German attack stopped. The American 104th Timberwolves infantry division had travelled from its staging points in France to join 21st Army group and help assist in the operations there. They were positioned on the left flank of the British 49th Infantry Division and the Polish 1st Armoured Division on

14784-517: The brunt of this attack and was in danger of being cut off near the town of Meijel. Dempsey reacted quickly however and moved the 15th Scottish and 6th Guards Tank Brigade from Tilburg so that within a day they concentrated behind the Americans. From October 29 to November 7 in tough fighting often in mud and rain, this force drove the Germans back to their original positions and that threat was removed. With

14952-508: The business community, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor of Germany on 30 January 1933. This event is known as the Machtergreifung ("seizure of power"). On the night of 27 February 1933, the Reichstag building was set afire . Marinus van der Lubbe , a Dutch communist, was found guilty of starting the blaze. Hitler proclaimed that the arson marked the start of

15120-513: The churches. The Nazi regime abolished the symbols of the Weimar Republic—including the black, red, and gold tricolour flag —and adopted reworked symbolism. The previous imperial black, white, and red tricolour was restored as one of Germany's two official flags; the second was the swastika flag of the Nazi Party, which became the sole national flag in September 1935. The Party anthem " Horst-Wessel-Lied " ("Horst Wessel Song") became

15288-558: The city came into the possession of the House of Nassau , where it remained until 1795, passing to William I of Orange (1533–1584), stadtholder of Holland , Zeeland , and Utrecht and leader of the Dutch revolt . Thus, the baron of Breda was also Count of Nassau in the Holy Roman Empire , Prince of Orange , and (the main) stadtholder in the Dutch Republic (from 1572 to 1650, 1672–1702, 1747–1795). Breda remained part of

15456-754: The city center and the southern part of Breda. Known shopping centers are De Barones and 't Sas. Major shopping streets are the Eindstraat, Ginnekenstraat  [ nl ] , Wilhelminastraat and Ginnekenweg. A market is held on the Grote Markt every Tuesday and Friday from 09:00 to 13:00. A book and antique market is held on Wednesday from 09:00 to 17:00. Breda became since 1970 a more specific education city and student city . In 2012 there were 27,000 students registered in Middelbaar- and Hoger Onderwijs . Secondary education consists of; Some schools offer bilingual English/Dutch education. This type of education

15624-412: The city center. All other brands had to park at a dedicated parking outside the city center. At the peak over 10,000 motorcycles visited the city and attracted an audience of a 100,000 people. 2010 was the 22nd and last official edition. Due to the large number of people, the city council demanded strict security measurements for the following years. This was the moment that the volunteer organization pulled

15792-625: The city in a daring plan devised by Adriaen van Bergen , known as the ruse with the Peat Ship of Breda . Around 1610 the construction of the Spanish Gate or "Spanjaardsgat" was started as a remembrance to that successful action. After a ten-month siege in 1624–25 , the city again surrendered to the Spaniards, now led by Spinola ; the event was immortalized by Diego Velázquez . In the Siege of Breda of 1637

15960-403: The city largely in British hands. A counterattack developed during the morning as three tanks and five self-propelled guns supported by a company of infantry advanced against the Railway Station from the west. Small arms fire and the mortars of the 7th Royal Welch dispersed the infantry and German armour was engaged by anti-tank guns. With the aid of smoke, two armoured vehicles were knocked out and

16128-467: The city was ordered as they were expecting heavy resistance. A patrol under cover of a mist discovered however that the Germans had in fact pulled out, which saved the city and its populace from further destruction. The 49th Division's final objective was the town of Willemstad on the Hollands Diep . This was 10 miles (16 km) away across terrain unsuitable for armour, so Clarkeforce was disbanded and

16296-542: The city was recaptured by Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange , after a four-month siege, and in 1648 it was finally ceded to the Dutch Republic by the Treaty of Westphalia . In 1646, Frederick Henry founded the Orange College of Breda , modelled on Saumur , Geneva , and Oxford , intending it to train young men of good family for the army and the civil service. The exiled Stuart Charles II of England resided in Breda for

16464-504: The complete Breda region. The tours ended on the Church square next to the Grote Kerk in the center, where, coincidentally, a rockband was playing. Redhead Day (nl; Roodharigedag) is a festival that between 2007 and 2011 took place in Breda during first weekend of September. Since 2019 the festival relocated to Tilburg . The two-day festival is a gathering of people with natural red hair, but

16632-576: The complete failure of the counterattack von Rundstedt, in an effort to ensure that the 15th Army was not destroyed, authorised a withdrawal to the line of the Mark river and the Mark Canal. The German front along the line between Bergen-op-Zoom and ‘s-Hertogenbosch via Breda had already been broken as well as the area to the south of the Maas river. Von Rundstedt reported to Hitler that the 15th Army must pull back across

16800-477: The counterattack was repelled. Another four knocked out German vehicles were later captured by the 1st Welch. By the evening of 27 October German resistance had largely ceased and the city was liberated. 160th Infantry Brigade relieved the 158th, less the 7th Royal Welch, in the area to the west of the River Dommel the latter Brigade moved into reserve to the east of the city. The battle had been hard won – 145 British soldiers and 253 Dutch civilians were killed during

16968-534: The country; all trade unions were forced to dissolve and their leaders were arrested. The Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service , passed in April, removed from their jobs all teachers, professors, judges, magistrates, and government officials who were Jewish or whose commitment to the party was suspect. This meant the only non-political institutions not under control of the Nazis were

17136-617: The crown of England, which he was to regain a few months later in the year. The Treaty of Breda was signed in the city on 31 July 1667, bringing to an end the Second Anglo-Dutch War in which the Dutch faced the same Charles II who had been their guest. Between 1746 and 1748 it was the site of the Congress of Breda , a series of talks between Britain and France aimed at bringing an end to the War of

17304-592: The division advanced to the Mark River, arriving there by 31 October. A coordinated attack over the Mark River at Standdaarbuiten on 2 November established a bridgehead and the rest of the division crossed the river. For the next two days, the Timberwolves pursued German remnants north to the Hollands Diep. Zevenbergen was captured and the Hollands Diep was reached on 5 November. The British 49th Division along with

17472-489: The division carried out a conventional infantry advance. Willemstad was liberated with virtually no resistance on 6 November after the German garrison withdrew across the Hollands Diep. Von Rundstedt realised the danger of this offensive and intended to divert British manpower. On 26 October two German mechanized divisions struck Dempsey's thinly held positions in the Peel marches much further South. The US 7th Armoured Division bore

17640-559: The electorate in a plebiscite . Most Germans were relieved that the conflicts and street fighting of the Weimar era had ended. They were deluged with propaganda orchestrated by Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda Joseph Goebbels , who promised peace and plenty for all in a united, Marxist-free country without the constraints of the Versailles Treaty. The Nazi Party obtained and legitimised power through its initial revolutionary activities, then through manipulation of legal mechanisms,

17808-523: The end of 1939 in an attempt to destroy Poland's identity as a nation. Soviet forces advanced into Finland in the Winter War , and German forces saw action at sea. But little other activity occurred until May, so the period became known as the " Phoney War ". From the start of the war, a British blockade on shipments to Germany affected its economy. Germany was particularly dependent on foreign supplies of oil, coal, and grain. Thanks to trade embargoes and

17976-591: The establishment of the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, which stripped them of their basic rights. The Nazis would take from the Jews their wealth, their right to intermarry with non-Jews, and their right to occupy many fields of labour (such as law, medicine, or education). Eventually the Nazis declared the Jews as undesirable to remain among German citizens and society. As early as February 1933, Hitler announced that rearmament must begin, albeit clandestinely at first, as to do so

18144-436: The evening before Ash Wednesday (Shrove Tuesday). The exclusive TV channel 'BaronieTV' broadcasts the events throughout the 'Barony of Breda'. Breda hosts the following museums: The Harley Dag was one of the biggest one-day motorcycle events of Europe, held on the third Sunday of August. The American motorcycle brands Harley Davidson and Indian were the main guests of the day. Other American brands were also welcomed to

18312-473: The execution of more than 4,900 people. The failed Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was the last major German offensive on the western front, and Soviet forces entered Germany on 27 January. Hitler's refusal to admit defeat and his insistence that the war be fought to the last man led to unnecessary death and destruction in the war's closing months. Through his Justice Minister Otto Georg Thierack , Hitler ordered that anyone who

18480-1054: The failed German offensive at the Battle of Kursk in the summer of 1943. By the end of 1943, the Germans had lost most of their eastern territorial gains. In Egypt, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel 's Afrika Korps were defeated by British forces under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery in October 1942. The Allies landed in Sicily in July 1943 and were on the Italian peninsula by September. Meanwhile, American and British bomber fleets based in Britain began operations against Germany . Many sorties were intentionally given civilian targets in an effort to destroy German morale. The bombing of aircraft factories as well as Peenemünde Army Research Center , where V-1 and V-2 rockets were being developed and produced, were also deemed particularly important. German aircraft production could not keep pace with losses, and without air cover

18648-606: The fighting 42 Polish soldiers were killed (along with two Canadians) and double that number wounded but civilian casualties were light as was damage to the city. In order to seize the bridges of the River Meuse the Mark Canal had to be crossed which would broaden the allied line. On October 31 the town of Moerdijk was captured by the Poles who were supported by the Royal Artillery 4 miles (6.4 km) away near Zevenbergen. They noted

18816-526: The first Dutch prince, was the first renaissance-style palace built north of the Alps. In the 15th century the city's physical, economic and strategic importance expanded rapidly. A great church was built in Brabantine Gothic style with an elegant 97-metre-high (318 ft) tower, called Grote Kerk (main church) or also Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk (Church of Our Lady). In 1534 Henry III of Nassau-Breda rebuilt

18984-579: The following day the Algonquin Regiment and the Grenadier Guards attacked the village of Welberg just outside Steenbergen. The village however was defended vigorously by the 6th Parachute Regiment that ultimately most of the Canadian 4th armoured had to be committed to take Welberg over three days of fighting. Several days passed however before the whole of the I British Corps had been able to cross to

19152-571: The food industry is still largely represented by companies such as Anheuser-Busch InBev , Hero Group , Perfetti Van Melle and Royal Cosun  [ nl ] . Furthermore, the city is host to the headquarters of the Royal Netherlands Air Force . Because of its central location between the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam , the city also attracts logistics companies such as Van Wijngen International . Koch Media has its Benelux office in Breda. The main shopping areas of Breda are

19320-582: The front line. By 16 October Commander of 21st Army Group Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery had reoriented the British 2nd Army so that this formation's full weight would be available for the Anglo-Canadian effort to open Antwerp as the Allied forces’ main supply port. The army's right would move along the Maas river and its left passing some 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of Tilburg . This placed XII Corps , commanded by Lieutenant-General Neil Ritchie , on

19488-664: The future. Food supplies were precarious; production dropped in most of Europe. Famine was experienced in many occupied countries. Hitler's peace overtures to the new British Prime Minister Winston Churchill were rejected in July 1940. Grand Admiral Erich Raeder had advised Hitler in June that air superiority was a pre-condition for a successful invasion of Britain , so Hitler ordered a series of aerial attacks on Royal Air Force (RAF) airbases and radar stations, as well as nightly air raids on British cities, including London , Plymouth , and Coventry . The German Luftwaffe failed to defeat

19656-499: The hockey department. B.H.V. Push  [ nl ] supplied high-level players to the national women and men teams of the Netherlands and played in the Hoofdklasse them self. A few of Push’s national team players for example are: Bram Lomans , Matthijs Brouwer , Thom van Dijck , Joep de Mol , Floris Wortelboer , Teun Beins , Cécile Vinke and Malou Pheninckx . Breda's athletics club , A.V. Sprint  [ nl ] ,

19824-455: The important port of Antwerp . It was conducted by the allied 21st Army Group between 20 October to 4 November 1944. After overcoming some German resistance, this operation liberated the cities of Tilburg , 's-Hertogenbosch , Roosendaal , Bergen op Zoom , Willemstad and Breda . As a result, the offensive cleared much of Brabant; the German positions which had defended the region along its canals and rivers were broken. In September 1944,

19992-476: The left flank of the Eindhoven-Nijmegen corridor, facing west. On the corps' right were the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and 7th Armoured Division , supported by the 4th Armoured Brigade and 33rd Armoured Brigade . The left flank composed of two Scots divisions – the 51st Highland Division and 15th Scottish Division – would be supported by the 6th Guards Tank Brigade . An operation

20160-468: The line of the Waal river, but Hitler ordered that it must stand fast in the area to the south of the Maas. As the situation of the 15th Army continued to deteriorate, von Rundstedt asked for new orders. Hitler's response merely reiterated his demand, and said that a major reinforcement of the 15th Army had been ordered. More significant, in operational terms, was the order that Generaloberst Kurt Student, commanding

20328-531: The lock and overcame a German post nearby. Their assault took the Germans by surprise and they captured 25 prisoners – the rest of the battalion crossed and a strong bridgehead was secured on the western bank of the Dommel. Further along a Bailey Bridge was constructed by the Royal Engineers and completed, following which the area North was cleared. The 6th Battalion attempted to cross the canal by boats but after one

20496-432: The maximum distances are 10 kilometer. The equestrian sports event ‘Outdoor Brabant’ started out as ‘Military Breda’ in the woods around Galder and a Four-in-hand Combined driving competition, near the village Princenhage. Later these merged and both moved to the southwest of Princenhage where the event changed into ‘Breda Hippique’. The event consists of Dressage , Eventing , Show jumping , and Combined driving. For

20664-463: The modest medieval fortifications in impressive style. In 1534, a fire destroyed over nine tenths of the city, close to 1300 houses, churches, and chapels, and the town hall. Only 150 houses and the main church remained. In July 1581, during the Eighty Years' War , Breda was captured in a surprise attack and siege by Spanish troops then under the command of Claudius van Barlaymont , whose sobriquet

20832-469: The need for Germany to secure its frontiers. Schuschnigg scheduled a plebiscite regarding Austrian independence for 13 March, but Hitler sent an ultimatum to Schuschnigg on 11 March demanding that he hand over all power to the Austrian Nazi Party or face an invasion. German troops entered Austria the next day, to be greeted with enthusiasm by the populace. The Republic of Czechoslovakia was home to

21000-408: The north along the length of the line linking Breda and Bergen-op-Zoom via Roosendaal. After taking Breda the Polish 1st Armoured Division along with the Canadian 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade drove through towards Moerdijk and its all-important bridges across the Hollands Diep. They soon reached the line of the Mark river and its Canal. There followed hard fighting, but they were unable to establish

21168-453: The north eastern edge of the city. They moved with speed against the Germans near the bridges over the small canals surrounding the city. They bridged the network of waterways many of which were still intact which intersected the old citadel. The troops moved in with Churchill tanks in support, in addition C Squadron of 79th Armoured Division with Churchill Crocodile flame thrower tanks were also in support. The 1/5th Welch attempted to clear

21336-466: The northern part of the city and capture the River Dieze bridge. The latter ended up going awry. A leading platoon of B company got lost and although the bridge was found intact it was later blown leaving the men trapped. German self propelled guns then moved in and within twelve hours an intense battle was fought. One of the self propelled guns was knocked out by a PIAT but with ammunition having run out

21504-465: The only German war criminals ever to be imprisoned in the Netherlands for their war crimes during the Second World War. Known as " The Breda Four ", or "Vier von Breda", they were Willy Paul Franz Lages , who was released in 1966 due to serious illness, Joseph Johann Kotalla , who died in prison in 1979, and Ferdinand aus der Fünten and Franz Fischer, who were both released in 1989 and died later

21672-489: The plan, as Germany was not yet ready for war. The crisis led to war preparations by Britain, Czechoslovakia, and France (Czechoslovakia's ally). Attempting to avoid war, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain arranged a series of meetings, the result of which was the Munich Agreement , signed on 29 September 1938. The Czechoslovak government was forced to accept the Sudetenland's annexation into Germany. Chamberlain

21840-409: The plug and cancelled future editions of the event. In 2011 not all people heard of the cancelling so around 400 motorcycles and their owners visited the city anyway. Supporters who did know about it came up with the idea of the ‘No(n)-Harley-Dag’. Despite the official cancelling, coincidentally several of Breda’s motor tour clubs held their annual tour on the third Sunday of August and drove through

22008-543: The powers of the chancellery and presidency. A 1934 German referendum confirmed Hitler as sole Führer (leader). Power was centralised in Hitler's person, and his word became the highest law. The government was not a coordinated, cooperating body, but rather a collection of factions struggling to amass power. In the midst of the Great Depression , the Nazis restored economic stability and ended mass unemployment using heavy military spending. Financed by deficit spending ,

22176-583: The provisions of the Reichstag Fire Decree to keep several Social Democratic deputies from attending, and the Communists had already been banned. The Enabling Act would subsequently serve as the legal foundation for the dictatorship the Nazis established. On 10 May, the government seized the assets of the Social Democrats, and they were banned on 22 June. On 21 June, the SA raided the offices of

22344-403: The railway under Artificial moonlight . Whilst in s'Hertogenbosch the 53rd as a whole faced the veteran 712th Wehrmacht Infantry Division . Stiff opposition was met by the Inniskilling Dragoons of 7th Armoured Division, particularly at Middelrode , but in hard fighting the 53rd Division gained a first footing in 's-Hertogenbosch in the early hours. By 04:30 am the leading elements had reached

22512-422: The regime undertook extensive public works projects, including the Autobahnen (motorways) and a massive secret rearmament program , forming the Wehrmacht (armed forces). The return to economic stability boosted the regime's popularity. Germany made increasingly aggressive territorial demands, threatening war if they were not met. Germany seized Austria in the Anschluss of 1938, and demanded and received

22680-741: The regime. The Germanic peoples were considered by the Nazis to be the " master race ", the purest branch of the Aryan race. Jews , Romani people , Slavs , homosexuals , liberals , socialists , communists , other political opponents, Jehovah's Witnesses , Freemasons , those who refused to work , and other "undesirables" were imprisoned, deported , or murdered. Christian churches and citizens that opposed Hitler's rule were oppressed and leaders imprisoned. Education focused on racial biology , population policy, and fitness for military service. Career and educational opportunities for women were curtailed . Nazi Propaganda Ministry disseminated films, antisemitic canards , and organized mass rallies; fostering

22848-404: The remaining afternoon, but the bridge was seized before it could be completely demolished, and Clarkeforce pushed across it and into Wuustwezel from the rear taking about 500 prisoners during the day. The tanks then pushed on in the darkness until halted by German made roadblocks. The division then advanced towards Nieuwmoer . The spearhead of Clarkeforce was halted by German held woods, until it

23016-405: The right. They joined in offensive operations from October 20. On 30 October, after five days of continuous operations the division had pushed about fifteen miles to within sight of the Mark river and had liberated the town of Zundert after a hard fight. Soon after they had gained control of the Breda-Roosendaal Road, and had overrun the Vaart Canal defenses. Achtmaal , Leur and Etten fell as

23184-419: The rights to build fortifications. The city constructed brick walls and Roman-style gates. In 1327, Adelheid of Gaveren sold Breda to Duke Johannes III of Brabant . In 1350, the fief was resold to Johannes II of Wassenaar (d. 1377). In 1403, the heiress of his line, Johanna of Polanen (1392–1445), married Engelbert I of Nassau (1370–1442; his sarcophagus is in the Grote Kerk in Breda). Through her,

23352-437: The same year. The municipality of Breda is divided in 11 sectors: [REDACTED] Topographic map image of the city of Breda, March 2014. Click to enlarge. Historically, economic activities were mainly industrial. Breda was a center of the food- and drink industry. Companies like Hero (lemonade), Van Melle ( Mentos ), De Faam (liquorice) and Kwatta (chocolate) are famous throughout Western Europe . Breda also had

23520-418: The south. The Dutch were unable to get to Tilburg and were stranded at Broekhoven , where fighting took place and four soldiers were killed but this was enough to divert the Germans. As a result, the 44th Lowland Infantry Brigade leading the way into Tilburg encountered only minor resistance and liberated the town on 27 October after the Germans withdrew. There were then wild celebrations as the liberation took

23688-407: The steady increase in range called for by the FOOs as the Poles advanced rapidly. The Poles then managed to cross the canal but as reinforcements were brought up however the Poles were hit by a number of heavy German counterattacks. The Poles managed to beat off the attack but the following day the Germans reacted in more strength; throughout the day and into the evening the Poles desperately held on to

23856-460: The stock market in the United States crashed in 1929 , the effect in Germany was dire. Millions were thrown out of work and several major banks collapsed. Hitler and the Nazis prepared to take advantage of the emergency to gain support for their party. They promised to strengthen the economy and provide jobs. Many voters decided the Nazi Party was capable of restoring order, quelling civil unrest, and improving Germany's international reputation. After

24024-664: The support of their parent LXVII Corps’ artillery. The counterattack fell heavily on the Leicestershire Regiment when two platoons of its A Company were overrun – and six German tanks then broke through. Nevertheless, the rest of the Leicester's fought back and accompanied by Churchill tanks, four German tanks were knocked out. The Germans continued the attack until the evening when they had withdrawn having suffered heavy losses in men as well as having thirteen tanks and Self propelled guns knocked out in total. By 31 October, Clarkeforce had moved through Wouw and reached Roosendaal . A requested set-piece artillery and armour supported assault on

24192-529: The total German war dead range from 5.5 to 6.9 million persons. A study by German historian Rüdiger Overmans puts the number of German military dead and missing at 5.3 million, including 900,000 men conscripted from outside of Germany's 1937 borders. Richard Overy estimated in 2014 that about 353,000 civilians were killed in Allied air raids. Other civilian deaths include 300,000 Germans (including Jews) who were victims of Nazi political, racial, and religious persecution and 200,000 who were murdered in

24360-448: The town before moving north having reached Sprang on 30 October. 154th Brigade then exploited north west towards Raamsdonk which they reached by end of the day. Germans desperate not to be enveloped tried to keep the route open for as long as possible but the British crossed the Donge after having found an intact bridge and subsequently took the city of Geertruidenberg without any resistance. A small German counterattack failed to halt

24528-480: The town. They pushed through the eastern side of the city and their leading two platoons neared the railway bridge over the River Dommel. After some fierce fighting they reached the bridge only to find that it had been blown. By nightfall, however, a nearby lock over the canal opposite the Railway Station was found to be intact. The following day the 7th Royal Welch under the cover of smoke and supported by mortar fire, tanks and Crocodile flame throwers managed to cross

24696-412: The trapped platoon were forced to surrender, roughly fifty men in all, some attempting to swim back across the river. As the rest of the brigade moved in the 1st Battalion the East Lancs had cleared the South of the river. They ambushed a German column that withdrew into the city from the east along the Hintham road. Tanks and armoured carriers of the Inniskilling Dragoons rode on top of the railway line –

24864-421: The use of police powers, and by taking control of the state and federal institutions. The first major Nazi concentration camp , initially for political prisoners, was opened at Dachau in 1933. Hundreds of camps of varying size and function were created by the end of the war. Beginning in April 1933, scores of measures defining the status of Jews and their rights were instituted. These measures culminated in

25032-431: The war drew to a close. Suicide rates in Germany increased, particularly in areas where the Red Army was advancing. Among soldiers and party personnel, suicide was often deemed an honourable and heroic alternative to surrender. First-hand accounts and propaganda about the uncivilised behaviour of the advancing Soviet troops caused panic among civilians on the Eastern Front, especially women, who feared being raped. More than

25200-402: The weather conditions were so poor that they prevented air support. Later in the day visibility improved and all calls for immediate air support were met by elements of RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force . With a strong force of medium bombers as well as Hawker Typhoon and Supermarine Spitfire fighter-bombers they attacked the Maas/Hollands Diep bridges at Hedel and Moerdijk . Their biggest success

25368-423: Was Haultpenne. Although the city had surrendered upon the condition that it would not be plundered, the troops vented their fury upon the inhabitants. In the resulting mayhem, known as Haultpenne's Fury , over 500 citizens were killed. In March 1590, Breda fell back into the hands of the Dutch and Maurice of Nassau , when a 68 men hand-picked force, concealed under the turf of a peat-boat, had contrived to enter

25536-437: Was a powerful ally, the relationship was distant, with little co-ordination or co-operation. For example, Germany refused to share their formula for synthetic oil from coal until late in the war. Germany invaded Poland and captured the Free City of Danzig on 1 September 1939, beginning World War II in Europe. Honouring their treaty obligations, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. Poland fell quickly, as

25704-416: Was as enthusiastic and wild as any yet seen". The Germans however were still holding the north of the city. The elite German 6th Parachute Regiment put up stiff resistance, using panzerfausts and self-propelled guns to knock out the Canadian tanks, but withdrew into Steenbergen when the Foot Guards threatened to cut off their line of retreat. The Germans abandoned Bergen Op Zoom completely on 30 October, and

25872-445: Was conquered by the Soviet Union from the east and the other Allies from the west, and capitulated on 8 May 1945. Hitler's refusal to admit defeat led to massive destruction of German infrastructure and additional war-related deaths in the closing months of the war. The Allies initiated a policy of denazification and put many of the surviving Nazi leadership on trial for war crimes at the Nuremberg trials . Common English terms for

26040-405: Was devised in order to liberate the middle and Western sections of the North Brabant Province through a strong thrust westward on the axis from 's-Hertogenbosch to Breda . In order to support the ongoing battle of the Scheldt the Allied 21st Army Group would be launching the attack – the components of the Canadian 1st Army would attack from Belgium known as Operation Suitcase and

26208-417: Was dropped. Germany was now a totalitarian state with Hitler at its head. As head of state, Hitler became Supreme Commander of the armed forces. The new law provided an altered loyalty oath for servicemen so that they affirmed loyalty to Hitler personally rather than the office of supreme commander or the state. On 19 August, the merger of the presidency with the chancellorship was approved by 90 per cent of

26376-462: Was good, and food supplies remained adequate in Western Europe. Germany and Europe as a whole were almost totally dependent on foreign oil imports. In an attempt to resolve the shortage, in June 1942 Germany launched Fall Blau ("Case Blue"), an offensive against the Caucasian oilfields. The Red Army launched a counter-offensive on 19 November and encircled the Axis forces, who were trapped in Stalingrad on 23 November. Göring assured Hitler that

26544-473: Was greeted with cheers when he landed in London, saying the agreement brought "peace for our time". Austrian and Czech foreign exchange reserves were seized by the Nazis, as were stockpiles of raw materials such as metals and completed goods such as weaponry and aircraft, which were shipped to Germany. The Reichswerke Hermann Göring industrial conglomerate took control of steel and coal production facilities in both countries. In January 1934, Germany signed

26712-415: Was in violation of the Versailles Treaty. On 17 May 1933, Hitler gave a speech before the Reichstag outlining his desire for world peace and accepted an offer from American President Franklin D. Roosevelt for military disarmament, provided the other nations of Europe did the same. When the other European powers failed to accept this offer, Hitler pulled Germany out of the World Disarmament Conference and

26880-432: Was not prepared to fight should be court-martialed, and thousands of people were executed. In many areas, people surrendered to the approaching Allies in spite of exhortations of local leaders to continue to fight. Hitler ordered the destruction of transport, bridges, industries, and other infrastructure—a scorched earth decree—but Armaments Minister Albert Speer prevented this order from being fully carried out. During

27048-419: Was pounded by artillery and the advance continued. On 22 October, Esschen, was reached and taken after clearing scattered German pockets. 56th Infantry Brigade prepared the way by advancing from Esschen to Nispen during the night of 25/26 October. Clarkeforce made for its push towards Brembosch the following morning against strong German rearguards. Many obstacles were encountered as well as German resistance –

27216-403: Was soon in Polish hands followed by the villages of Molenschot and Dorst. The advance on Breda though was hampered by German artillery and a German counter-attack near Dorst which, although repelled, delayed the liberation of the town. The Germans retreated to the North and in the course of the next day the whole of the town was liberated. Wild celebrations took hold as the Poles were greeted but in

27384-489: Was succeeded by Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz as Reich President and Goebbels as Reich Chancellor. Goebbels and his wife Magda committed suicide the next day after murdering their six children . Between 4 and 8 May 1945, most of the remaining German armed forces unconditionally surrendered. The German Instrument of Surrender was signed 8 May, marking the end of the Nazi regime and the end of World War II in Europe . Popular support for Hitler almost completely disappeared as

27552-413: Was sunk they withdrew – the Germans had reinforced the area during the night. The East Lancs from the South continued to work their way northwards along the bank of the Dommel while the Royal Welch cleared the city to their west. The East Lancs linked up with the Welch at around 22:00 which meant all bridgeheads over the Dommel were thus secured. On October 26 the British worked their way northwards towards

27720-416: Was taken after some casualties. On October 26, 1944, Field Marshal von Rundstedt ordered to forestall an enemy breakthrough and economize with our strength, I hereby authorize Fifteenth Army to withdraw to the general line Bergen op Zoom/Roosendaal/Breda/ Dongen /west of 's-Hertogenbosch. On October 27 the Canadian 4th Armoured Division were on the outskirts of Bergen-op-Zoom , two infantry companies from

27888-417: Was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictatorship . The Third Reich , meaning "Third Realm" or "Third Empire", referred to the Nazi claim that Nazi Germany was the successor to the earlier Holy Roman Empire (800/962–1806) and German Empire (1871–1918). The Third Reich, which the Nazis referred to as

28056-401: Was the destruction of the 15th Army's headquarters at Dordrecht ; two generals and seventy other staff officers were killed in the attack. The 53rd Welsh, consisting of the 71st and 160th Brigades with the 158th held in reserve near Oss launched their attack together with the 7th Armoured on Nuland. The 71st Brigade began pushing up from the Vinkel-Papendijk line in the south and the 160th from

28224-502: Was the fourth nation to join the Axis, signing the Tripartite Pact on 27 September 1940. Bulgaria signed the pact on 17 November. German efforts to secure oil included negotiating a supply from their new ally, Romania , who signed the Pact on 23 November, alongside the Slovak Republic. By late 1942, there were 24 divisions from Romania on the Eastern Front, 10 from Italy, and 10 from Hungary. Germany assumed full control in France in 1942, Italy in 1943, and Hungary in 1944. Although Japan

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