Second World War
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The Second World War
Seeking shelter and going into hiding
The day the Germans captured Maastricht in 1940, Dutch soldiers detonated the bridges in an attempt to defend the city. This triumph of military planning was soon overshadowed by events in Wyck: the streets quickly filled with German tanks.
More than three hundred residents were deported from Maastricht during the Second World War and murdered by the Nazis. In the city, victims are commemorated with copper ‘Stolpersteine’ cobblestones engraved with their names and dates of death. The Stolpersteine have been laid in front of the buildings from which Jews, Sinti, Roma, and resistance fighters were deported.
As a young Jewish boy during the war, the famous Maastricht-born artist Appie Drielsma managed to survive by going into hiding. Drielsma gained worldwide fame with his war memorials, two of which are in his home town: the monument to Maastricht’s Jewish children and the ‘Old Hickory’ liberation monument near the provincial government building.
Historic city centre
As Maastricht was spared from heavy bombing during the occupation, its ancient inner city has been preserved. Nevertheless, the city’s residents suffered severely under occupation. If the air-raid siren sounded, they fled into the air-raid shelters. The underground ‘Kazematten’ bunkers and the caves of St Pietersberg hill also provided shelter.
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Limburg War Memorial
Three weeks before liberation, on what is known as ‘Zwarte Vrijdag’ (Black Friday), Maastricht took the hardest of hits. US bombers dropped explosives on the railway bridge to stop German troops from fleeing. However, the bombs missed their target and instead landed on two residential areas on the banks of the Meuse. This event left over a hundred dead and just as many wounded.
On Liberation Day, Maastricht commemorates all the victims at Charles Eyck’s Limburg War Memorial on Oranjeplein square along the ‘Groene Loper’ walking and cycling boulevard.
Discover Maastricht
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Group excursion Kickbike tour Zonneberg Caves
Group excursion Kickbike tour Zonneberg Caves
until 31 December 2025
Discover the deepest secrets of St. Pietersberg hill on a kick scooter together with a Maastricht Underground...
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Combination Fort Sint Pieter and North Caves | Maastricht Underground
Combination Fort Sint Pieter and North Caves | Maastricht Underground
until 31 December 2025
Combine two tours and get a discount! Go back in time to experience the history of the Fort St. Pieter...
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Group excursion Mission Underground
Group excursion Mission Underground
until 31 December 2025
Active and exciting! A teambuilding program in the form of an experience game in the former defense system,...
From a long, long time ago to now - The timeline
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The Second World War
1940
The caves offered safety
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International university city
International university city
After 1969
Intellectuals go to Maastricht
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Early industrial city
Early industrial city
19th century
The oldest industrial city in the Netherlands
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LEADS YOU
LEADS YOU
A guide
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BY BICYCLE
BY BICYCLE
A tour of discovery
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REGION?
REGION?
Are you already familiar with the
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DRINK
DRINK
Food and
