Back to the year 2010, in the month of May, I had a chance to visit Holland, the first european country in my bucket list that need to be visited. it is cool to be here in the Netherland and very super cool to add when my cousin take me to the Airborne Museum "Hartenstein" thus at this time I will not talk about Visiting Holland, but specifically about visiting one of the historical site in the WW II which is now has been funtioned as a Museum, The Airbone Museum, Hartenstein.
The museum is located on Utrechtseweg 232, 6862 Oosterbeek, Netherlands. The building is a historical site from 1728 indicate that an inn called ‘Hetode Hert’ (‘The Red Deer’) stood at the important crossroad of the 'Utrechtseweg' in Oosterbeek. In 1779 the inn and the surrounding land was acquired by a wealthy attorney to the Court of Gelderland named J. van der Sluys. The inn was demolished and in its place a mansion was constructed complete with adjacent annexes. The new mansion was named ‘Hartenstein’.After the death of Van der Sluys, ‘Hartenstein’ was passed along to a variety of owners. In 1865 the present building appeared on the site and a coach house was built next to it (now the site of restaurant ‘Hartenstein@Laurie'). In 1905 the villa was extended with two conservatories. Finally, in 1942, the Municipality of Renkum became Hartestein's new owner and transformed it into a hotel. During The Battle of Arnhem, this place to be a Headquarter by British 1st Airbone Division who trapped in Oosterbeek, Major General Roy Urquhart was the one who led the mission.
First of all, I do not know how to describe my feelings when I did the tour inside the museum. It was so incredible experience ever. I am a big fan of Band Of Brother Movie (the movie that directed by Stephen Spielberg) so I pretty feel that the movie is so real, thumbs up to Mr Spielberg. The sense of the movie, the weapons I saw, it was real. I really enjoy moment by moment in the museum and I do not want to miss all the moment there. As I can recall, in the first room I can see the weapons, grenade, paramedic stuff, ransum and all original equipment left from the Battle. Owh I must tell you, I try to hold the long weapon, the weapon like the Easy Company used in the movie of Band Of Brother, and it is heavy I think about 10-15 kg, wow the sodier must carry so many kilos when they are in the battle field. It is amazing for me knowing the details about what is actually being carried out by one soldier in the battle of Arhnem Continued, there is also the Operation Market Garden Movie Screening in one of the room but beside that movie screening for the visitor, in the same room, as I can recall, there are pictures of the soldiers on the wall included the picture of Major Gendereal John Frost, the British Army Officer who command the troops to battle with German and reached the Arnhem Road Bridge, also I can see thei full Army's uniform in the room. Moving on to aother room, as I can reccall there is another documentary video playing about the battle, it is an original video, you can choose to watch or skip, but I choose to watch it. Next, you can go to the underground and find very attractive Diorama about the battle field. First the sound of battle field is very tight to hear, the explosions, gunfires, troops talking, commandment, etc and you are like in the battle field. There is a piece of Helicopter on the right side, you can enter it and see the parachute troops fllying down through the window, that is a combination with a screening on the wall behind the helicopter i think, so good idea for bringing the visitor into these experiences. There are military Jeeps with the bloody soldiers there and even the death soldier lying on the Jeep what a good diorama. In some rooms, we can see also the Meeting room, place for planning about the battle strategy and we can hear they are talking about it by some British officers. On the aisle out, you will be remarked by the moving pictures on the left and reight side (as I remember), the victory of the WWII by the allied troops, you can see the panzer, the glory of the troops, and your experiences end up amazingly, Wow.
Before I wrapped it out my expereinces here, I will tell you shortly about what is the Operation Market Garden ? It is the name of the operation who Lead by the Allied troop to attack Germany and open the road to enter Germany from the Netherland. This plan made after Normandy (please watch the Band of Brother miniseries). This operation market agrden started at Sept 17 until in the morning of Sept 26, 1944. In the end we knew that this operation failed due to combination of factors :a lack of airlift to transport the British 1st Airborne Division and the Polish Brigade on the first day, poorly chosen drop and landing zones for the troops that were too far from the Arnhem bridge over the Rhine, an unrealistic timetable for their relief by XXX Corps, and above all, intense German opposition by the disregarded presence of SS armoured forces in the Arnhem area.[taken from Wiki].At the time there are a lot of Parachute troops landing in Arnhem.
So, after amazing experience I had in the Airborne Museum, Hartenstein, there are two things I finally found about Arnhem in the connection with the Operation Market Garden
1. The Parachute troops become the symbol of Arnhem too, when I went to the Esubius Kerk, in one of the room on the ceiling, I can see miniature parachute troops hanging there, a lot of over the ceiling, nice one.
2. Major General John Dutton Frost who was the British Officer who did manage the battle at the Arnhem Road Bridge and this is it why the Arnhem Road Bridge is named John Frost Brug / Bridge, the famous historical bridge in Holland.
Curious about this Musuem ? here is their website for you as a gudelines of Opening Hours,Ticket price, etc: http://en.airbornemuseum.nl/
Last but not least, do not forget to fill up the guest book with your incredible eperiences before you left.The guest book provided on your way out at the lobby area.
