Geleen  is a city in the southern part of the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. With 33,960 inhabitants, it is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen. Geleen is situated along the river Geleenbeek, a right tributary to the river Meuse. The Latin name for Geleenbeek is Glana, meaning “clear river”.

At the start of WWII Geleen was a small mining town with a population of approximately 15,000.

I could have picked any town or city to remember the fallen ,but Geleen is where I was born and it will forever hold a special place in my heart.

The Soldiers who died.

In the first hour of the occupation a soldier died,he wouldn’t be the only one to give his life

De Bie,Jacobs,Molin,Poelstra

Tergouw,van der Heide,van Meer,Wassenberg,de Morte van Lierde

The resistance fighters

They were determined to fight for freedom despite the risks connected to it. These men sacrificed their lives so that I didn’t have to.

Brouns,Janssens,Linders

van Hilten,Veerman

Zaicsek, Karl (Karel) Born 18 Juli 1921,Pecsbanyatelep Hungary,, died 12 September 1944 just before Geleen was liberated.His codename was Koenen.

The ones who died in Asia.

They lost their lives fighting for the Dutch colonies thousands of miles away. Although they had never lived there and probably knew no one there, they felt it was their duty to defend their country’s interest.

Burgers,Cornelessen,de Boer

Meex,Perbooms,Schuman

Teuns and Zelen

I salute all these 23 men for the sacrifices they made not only for the people of Geleen but for everyone who believes and lives in freedom.

Bedankt mannen.