Tree of Peace

Grolloo was liberated on April 12, 1945.

On the 12th the Canadian vehicles rolled into the village from Schoonloo. On the way, two farms went up in flames.

This Red Beech is planted on May 13, 1945. There should be a bottle under the tree with the names of the people who helped plant it.

Those who fell

On May 12, 1940, soldier Jan ter Steege from Vredenheim was killed. He is buried in the cemetery in Rolde. He was 32 years old and left behind a wife, daughter and son.

On April 8, 1945, father and son Klaassens from Schoonloo were shot. Their final resting place can be found in the cemetery in Grolloo. Father was 58 years old and his son 23 years old.

In 2020 a book was presented about Harmannus van Tellingen, blacksmith servant working at the Reinders smithy in Grolloo. Years of research gave the family a picture of what had happened.
He was arrested on 13 June 1944 as a result of a failed raid. In Bergen-Belsen he died of illness after the liberation of the camp. May 31, 1945 is taken as date of death. He was 26 years old and had a wife and two daughters.

Commemorate

In the year 2000, a commemoration was organized for the first time at the Vredesboom. Until 2020, the Second World War and the liberation were commemorated once every five years. Since then, many people come to this place every year on May 4 to think about what has been, but certainly also about the present and what is to come.

Information

It seems that the call for information increases as the war is further behind us. On the website about the history of Grolloo and surroundings you can find a lot of information under the heading "Oorlog".(War) The safe place for children from the west of the country or a family, eyewitness accounts of the liberation, but also national socialism and the resistance are discussed. Scan the QR code for a direct link to this part of the oldgrol.nl website

(oldgrol.nl is in Dutch)