Wageningen, ‘Liberation 1940 - 1945 memorial window’

Location
Markt, 6701 CX Wageningen, Gelderland

Year of unveiling
1985

Designer
Jhr. O.E.C.M.I. van Nispen tot Pannerden

Commemorated group(s)
General

Description
The ‘Liberation 1940 - 1945 memorial window’ in Wageningen is a stained glass lattice window. The window is ten metres high and three metres wide.

Text on the monument
The window contains several texts:
‘JE MAINTIENDRAI
(Motto of the Netherlands)

1945 5 MEI 1945 15 AUG’

‘PRO AMICES MORTUE, AMICES VIVIMUS’
(‘Died for friends, living within friends’).

‘PUGNO PRO PATRIA 10 MEI GREBBE 1940’
(‘Fight for the fatherland 10 May Grebbe 1940)

‘LUCEM TUAM DA NOBIS DEUS’
(‘God, give us your light’)

The designer, jhr. O.E.C.M.I. van Nispen tot Pannerden described the window as follows: ‘The base of the window is the motto of the glassmakers: ‘Lucem Tuam da nobis Deus’ in medieval Latin. Light that belongs to everybody, even spiritually. For a glassmaker this signifies playing with light and making the most of it. Above this motto a Dutch town (possibly Wageningen) is depicted on which the war bird, Hitler’s eagle, has landed, setting everything on fire. Wageningen, The Netherlands, the world. Attached to the bird is a broken swastika in reverse, return to sender, and the damaged war flag of Japan.

Above this rises a figure who has broken the chains of occupation. He has killed the monster and stepped on it and proudly and triumphantly holds our flag above his head. He rises above the evil from a field of honor. Above him a cross on which is written: ‘Pro amices mortui, amices vivimus’, a text from the Canadian field of honor in Groesbeek.

At the left, the Battle of the Grebbe is commemorated through the words ‘pugno pro patria.’ Above this the evacuation and the return of the people of Wageningen. At the right bottom the vultures, the war profiteers and enemy collaborators, are fleeing. Then a concentration camp with a Star of David. Above that we are reminded of the battle in the Dutch East Indies, the railroad to Burma and the bridge over the Kwai. A typical Indonesian boat and the merchant ship Insulinde in the background. Then a field of honor and above that the cruiser ‘De Ruyter’.

The tableau is spanned by a rainbow. The rain of war has gone away. On its left: paratroopers and airplanes. Above that the coat of arms of Wageningen with the day and the year of the occupational forces’ surrender. Behind the arms the Hotel ‘De Wereld’ were the capitulation treaty was signed and to the left the maple leaf to commemorate the liberation of Wageningen by the Canadians. To the right the coat of arms of Batavia, main city of the Dutch East Indies, with the day and year of the capitulation of Japan.

In the center the peace bird with an olive branch, resurrected like a phoenix from the ashes of the burnt eagle (the bird and the fire are also the symbols of Pentecost). Above this the national coat of arms with its motto, and the sword of justice and the scepter crossed with the victory palm and a branch of oranges.

Above the arms of Batavia the battle between the crocodile and the sea serpent. The crocodile stated that they had made a deal that the sea serpent would rule the seas and the crocodile the land. Yet he sea serpent said that it would rule the land and the crocodile the water and so it swam up the rivers. The tableau is inspired by the coat of arms of Surabaya.

This tableau is crowned with the churches of many destroyed towns and villages that have been rebuilt. From left to right Oosterbeek, Rhenen, Wageningen, Roermond, Rotterdam, Arnhem, Groningen, Middelburg, Wouw, Groesbeek and Nijmegen. These towers together form an organ that praises God and the Child of Betlehem. The eight-pointed star is reminiscent of Sermon of the Mount and of Christmas.

The entirety of the tableaus is shaped like a cross, a sign of redemption and of victory over death. In spite of this illustrative elements the window is still monumental and meditative, to commemorate those who have fought, suffered and prayed.

Background
The ‘Liberation 1940 - 1945 memorial window’ reminds the inhabitants of Wageningen of the liberation of the Netherlands. The window depicts the Second World War, the Liberation and life in times of peace.

Memorial services
None known.

The monument was unveiled on 5 May 1987 by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix.

More information
The memorial window is situated in the Grand Church at the Markt in Wageningen. The key to the church can be obtained from the guardian.

Links