Liberation Day marks the end of WWII occupation in the Netherlands. It is celebrated every year with ceremonies, festivals, and the Freedom Flame, reminding the nation of the importance of peace and democracy.

When is Liberation Day?

Liberation Day in Netherlands is celebrated every year on May 5.

The following is the list of Liberation Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Liberation Day?

On May 10, 1940, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands. After just five days of fighting, the Dutch army surrendered on May 15, 1940, following the devastating bombing of Rotterdam.

The occupation lasted for five years, bringing harsh repression, persecution of Jews and resistance fighters, forced labor, and the Hunger Winter (1944–1945), which caused mass starvation.

In early May 1945, Allied forces advanced into the Netherlands.

On May 4, 1945, German forces in the Netherlands, Northwest Germany, and Denmark surrendered to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery in Lüneburg Heath, Germany.

On May 5, 1945, at Wageningen, German commander General Blaskowitz and Canadian General Charles Foulkes negotiated the final surrender of German forces in the Netherlands.

This marked the official liberation of the Netherlands.

The first Liberation Day celebrations were held on May 5, 1945, immediately after the surrender.

Initially, each year emphasized remembrance of liberation and the gratitude toward Allied soldiers, especially the Canadians, who played a key role.

In 1946, May 5 was declared an annual day of national celebration.

In 1960, it was decided that official nationwide celebrations would be held once every five years (e.g., 1960, 1965, 1970).

In 1990, the Dutch government declared Liberation Day a national holiday every year, but it is only a mandatory day off work once every five years.