NETHERLANDS GUIDE

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again. The population grew quickly,
and the confining defensive walls were
all taken down in 1875 to create room.
Around this time, the first vendors moved
into the Hezelstraat, near the Grote
Markt (central market). To date, it remains
part of the best shopping area of
Nijmegen, with many independent shops
as well as cosy restaurants and bars. Existing
for over 135 years, the Hezelstraat
is proud to be the Netherlands’ oldest
shopping street.
Word War II
In the Second World War, Nijmegen took
a turn for the worst. Being so close to the
border, it was one of the first Dutch cities
to be captured by the Nazis. Towards the
end of the war, it was bombed several
times by both German and Allied forces.
In February 1944, 800 civilians died during
the largest bombing of a Dutch city.
Many of the historic buildings were lost,
but were rebuilt in their original style, and
now stand side by side with more modern
buildings. Throughout the city you
will find commemorations, where you will
feel the impact the bombings had on the
city and the lives of its citizens.
Operation Market Garden
Nijmegen was also one of the cities where
Allied forces suffered huge losses during
Operation Market Garden. After suffering
heavy losses in skirmishes with German
forces in the heart of the city, American
soldiers crossed the river Waal in peddle
boats on September 20, 1944, which later
became known as the Waal Crossing.
48 soldiers died during this crossing and
it turned out to be too late to reinforce
Allied troops in Arnhem. This led to a
six-month delay of the liberation of the
north of the country. In 2013, Nijmegen
completed the construction of a city
bridge called Oversteek (The Crossing),
close to where the allies crossed the
river. On the bridge are 48 streetlights,
representing each of the soldiers that
lost their lives. At sunset, the streetlights
are lit up pair by pair at a slow marching
Issue 71 | November 2019 | 45