The main objective of Operation Veritable was to clear the area between the river Maas (Meuse) and the Lower Rhine of German forces. The first obstacle they encountered was a vast, densely wooded area, the Reichswald, just inside Germany. German units had turned this forest into a deathtrap.

The final hurdle of the Rhineland Offensive was the Rhine itself. The crossing near Wesel (Operation Plunder) was one of several coordinated Rhine crossings. A million Allied soldiers participated. In support of the crossing, 14.000 paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines (Operation Varsity). The operations were a complete success. Hitler’s days were numbered.

Vogelsang International Place is riddled with Nazi-symbols. Quite a few of them focus on the national socialist idea of a master race, the ‘Herrenmensch’. The most conspicuous symbol is the statue of the torchbearer, that it visible even beyond the perimeter of the Ordensburg. It borrows from Christian and Greek symbolism as well as the pagan idea of light.

Operation Veritable was an Allied campaign aimed at driving the German army out of the Reichswald, a vast and dense forest marking the border between the Netherlands and Germany. The fighting was very intense and strongly resembled the trench warfare of the First World War.

In the late 1930s the monks of Mariawald Abbey came into conflict with the Nazi regime and were evicted. During the battle of Huertgenwald the abbey was used as a field hospital. Many of the wounded could not be saved and died. 414 of them are still resting in what is now the War Cemetery of the Mariawald Abbey.

The Vogelsang complex was built as a National Socialist training institution before becoming an international military training area. Today, Vogelsang IP is an international place of active remembrance, where in addition to conveying historical facts about the Nazi era, issues regarding our present social life are addressed.

The Vossenack Cemetery was constructed on a strategic site, Hill 470, by the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) during the years 1949 to 1952. Today the cemetery contains the graves of 2.347 war dead. Among those are 35 men who lost their lives during post-war operations as members of a ‘Ammunition Search and Removal Team’.

The Soviet-Russian Second World War Cemetery Simmerath-Rurberg holds the remains 2.322 Soviet citizens. Fifty-five of them rest in individual graves, the others in mass graves. Only a small number is known by name. Almost all of the buried were prisoners of war or forced labourers.

Between September 1944 and February 1945 American and German soldiers faced each other directly in the pillboxes at the Ochsenkopf. In the almost inaccessible forest the Germans were able to defend their fortified positions for a long time.

For the purpose of remembrance and warning Museum Huertgen Forest 1944 and in Peacetime (Museum Hürtgenwald 1944 und im Frieden) tells the story of the so-called Battle of Huertgen Forest – and its consequences for the local population. The museum is run by volunteers. Almost all objects in the exhibition were collected in the Huertgen Forest area after the war.

The Reichswald Forest War Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth cemetery in Germany. It holds the remains of 7.654 soldiers, mostly airmen from the Royal Air Force and paratroopers. The cemetery is situated in the Reichswald, an ancient forest on the Dutch-German border that was the scene of heavy fighting in February 1945.

When, in November 1944, worn-out American units were forced to retreat from the village of Schmidt, they had to pass the Kall bridge under fire. In the midst of the bitter fighting, Dr. Stüttgen, a German medical officer, organized several short cease-fires. As a result, wounded soldiers from both sides could be treated by German doctors and paramedics.

During the autumn and winter of 1944/45, a long and bloody battle took place in the Huertgen Forest. 3.001 mostly German victims of this bitter struggle have their final resting place at Huertgen War Cemetery.

The medical aid bunker Nr. 374 in Simonskall was built in 1938. Here four medics could give emergency treatment to about twenty to thirty wounded or sick soldiers. After the war the bunker first served as provisional housing for returning evacuees and later as a cellar for a private home. Access is very limited.

During the month of November 1944 fighting between American and German soldiers took place inside the church of Vossenack. Today a commemorative plaque inside and an inscription on the church portal call these events to mind.

In November 1944 the Allies launched Operation Queen with the goal of crossing the Rur river and then pushing forward to the Rhine. They realized that if the Rur floodgates were opened, the entire river plain would be inundated, rendering the river impassable. And indeed, as they withdrew, the Germans opened the Rur Dam Schwammenauel, thus hampering the Allied advance for two weeks.

On 12 September 1944, the first U.S. troops crossed the German border near the ancient city of Aachen, with units pushing into the Huertgen Forest to secure their right flank. Underestimating the German defences and the difficulties of the terrain they suffered heavy losses during a bitter confrontation starting on 2 November, known as ‘The Battle for (the town of) Schmidt’.

The House of History in Bonn, Germany was inaugurated in 1994. More than 7,000 exhibits representing contemporary history are spread over a surface of 4,000 m2. The permanent exhibition depicts the political, cultural and economical development of Germany since the end of the Second World War in 1945.

From 1935 to 1945 the EL-DE House was the headquarters of the Gestapo of Cologne, Germany. The documentation centre was founded in 1979 and serves in equal part as a memorial of the victims of the Nazi regime and as a research centre documenting Cologne’s history during the Nazi era

Wewelsburg 1933-1945 Memorial Museum is the contemporary history section of the Wewelsburg District Museum in Büren, Germany. The exhibition ’Ideology and Terror of the SS’, located in the former guardhouse at the castle’s forecourt, presents the history of Wewelsburg between 1933 and 1945.

On May the 20th 1941, ANZAC, Greek and British forces stood side by side with the heroic population of Crete in the defense of their Southern Mediterranean Island against the elite of Hitler’s war machine. The ensuing battle is etched

Guided by top experts in WWII history and the Museum’s exclusive guides in Normandy, you’ll hear the personal stories and walk in the footsteps of the Citizen Soldiers who fought for the freedom we enjoy today.

This itinerary takes you to a number of German military cemeteries, museums and other remembrance places throughout Europe that capture the German experience of World War II.

This itinerary follows in the footsteps of the Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade, which was formed from Dutch men who fled to England after the collapse of the Netherlands in May 1940.

To follow in the footsteps of Canadian troops during WWII, you will depart from the UK where Canadians gathered with other Allied troops to take part in a series of trainings to prepare for D-Day.

The route of British troops at the end of the Second World War started in July 1943 with the invasion of Sicily and mainland Italy. Then they trained in the United Kingdom for the D-Day landings and the invasion of Normandy, together with other allied troops.

The European theatre of WWII opened with the German invasion of Poland in 1939, followed by the Soviet invasion. Throughout the war, Poles provided significant contributions to the Allied effort, fighting on land, sea and air. Large number of Polish troops managed to escape, first to France, then to the United Kingdom, where they formed the 1st Armoured Division and the 1st Parachute Brigade.

The Belgian 1st Infantry Brigade was formed in early 1943 in England by the Belgian Prime Minister in exile. It reunited the various Belgian units dispersed within the British Army: survivors from 1940, volunteers from the colonies and Legionnaires from North Africa. In command of the Brigade was Jean-Baptiste Piron, a veteran of World War I and officer in the Belgian army in 1940.

The Commando Kieffer owes its name to a banker born in Haiti who, at the age of 40, decided to join the military. Philippe Kieffer was commander of the sole French unit present in Normandy on 6 June 1944.

During WWII, General Harry Crerar commanded the First Canadian Army. In Normandy, the First Army was involved in Operation Totalize, Operation Tractable, the Battle of the Falaise Pocket, and the final clearing of the Channel Coast.

American General James M. Gavin was the youngest major general in the U.S. Army in World War II. He was also the only general to make four combat airborne jumps during the war.

This itinerary crosses Normandy, France; Flanders, Belgium; the Netherlands; and Germany, taking you to some of the most significant milestones in Maczek’s journey during the war.

The 2nd French Armoured Division landed in Normandy on 1 August 1944 and took part in the liberation of Paris before pursuing the German army towards the Alsace region.

During this week-long itinerary you will visit sites that recall Montgomery’s involvements in the different fronts and battles fought at the end of the war.

This tour takes you to the different locations General Patton crossed between July 1943, starting with the Sicily landings and ending with the liberation of the Czech Republic in May 1945.

Alsace houses a large number of historical places commemorating its rich history during the Second World War. The British, the French, the Americans first liberated the northern part of the region in November 1944.

This 3 days tour will make you relive, together with your private guide and driver, the story of the Second World War in Sicily and Italy.

In September 1944, a United Nations force under Canadian Command, took up a battle against a determined enemy, that wanted to prevent the use of the harbour of Antwerp at all cost. Learn about victory, bravery, misery and tragedy. Hear about the generals and the common city and farmer boy soldiers. Many found a lasting resting place at the local Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery.

Get to know the history of this fascinating region in the Czech Republic, where World War II ended after the liberation by the US Army. We will go through various locations where history took place, and visit memorable places related with these events.

Individuele fiets-trektocht van Normandie naar Nederland over de ‘Voie de la Liberté’.

This tour gives travelers the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the men of the 4th Battalion Dorset Regiment during Operation Market Garden.

Experience the Gothic line history guided by an “English soldier”, you will have the chance to trace back the events happened during the fighting to freedom Italy. Discovering the places where General Alexander, Sir Winston Churchill and other main characters wrote the 2nd World War history.

Tour for ten whole days on an exciting itinerary around the region of Kent which played a crucial role during WWII. You will find a compelling mix of daring missions and surprises (what was Dumbo doing on Romney Marsh?), tales of ingenuity and heroic human spirit.

Experience WWII history in the German capital and follow the footsteps of the Red Army during the final Battle of Berlin.

Visit the town sites that played a major role during the German occupation and at the moment of the liberation of Lucca by the Allies, and the fortifications of the Gothic Line at Borgo a Mozzano that defined the destinies of Lucca and its area.

Our guided walks allow travellers to discover the Gustav Line, a German defensive fortification system from Ortona to Cassino. Starting from the Battle of Ortona, our visitors will be invited to discover the River Sangro Crossing, the Battle of Orsogna and the Battle of Pizzoferrato.

A trip which will allow your students to discover the daily life in Berlin and Krakow during the Second World War and in particular the Holocaust.

There are few names that stand for the horror of the Nazi reign over Europe quite like that of Auschwitz. This is a special tour not to be missed as we tell an incredible story about a time and place – and more than one nation.

Gdańsk: the city where everything began: the Second World War and fall of the Berlin Wall. The daily life during the war in Eastern Europe will be explained as well how the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain related to the creation of the Union Solidarnosc.

Visit today’s Poland and pay tribute to the heroes and victims of this country’s experience during WWII. For the population of Poland, the end of the Second World War was not necessarily a liberation.

In October 1944 Aachen was the first big German city liberated by the American forces. The ‘Battle of the Hürtgen Forest’ stopped the Allied advance for several months.

Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany, played a central part in the decision process of the Holocaust and its implementation. During the Wannsee Conference, the deportation and mass murder was decided and thousands of people were deported to the two main camps near Berlin.

This guided visit to historic Berlin will introduce visitors to the incredible story of Berlin in the Twentieth Century.

The tour starts in Berlin where one of the last battles of the Second World War in Europe took place, then proceeds to Poland, where the first battle of WWII started in Gdansk in 1939.

The tour will move from Aachen to Schengen, crossing the border many times during the tour. The world wars will be the main topic of the tour.

During this tour we will follow the trails of the soldiers who executed Operation Market Garden and faced many difficulties during the freezing Battle of the Bulge.

This program will explore the Battle of Market Garden and why the defeat was inevitable. These historic places immortalise forever our duty to remember.

Visit Groesbeek National Liberation Museum 1944-1945 and walk along the places where violent fights took place in September 1944 during Operation Market Garden.

Visit the many sites and museums memorialising the sacrifices made and the historic events which took place in Luxembourg.

This program will allow your students to relive the events of World War II in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg by visiting sites and museums that bear witness to this chapter of the country’s history.

This program will explore Hitler’s last big push to push back the Allied forces in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.

The tour examines the greatest pitched battle ever fought by the Americans: the Battle of the Bulge.

Travel in time in the Paris of the Second World War, from the occupation time to the liberation of the city in 1944.

This tour will take you from Paris to the gates of Normandy.

By the evening of 6 June 1944, the Allied forces had established a foothold on all five landing beaches. There was still a long way to go, but the day’s operations, which took the German command by surprise, were successful.

Italy and its natural and cultural richness can also be discovered through the sites and museums memorialising the Italian Campaign and the liberation of Italy: from Sicily via Montecassino to Rome.

For the population of Poland, the end of the Second World War was not necessarily a liberation. The arrival of the Soviet Army meant first defeat and then effectively a new occupation. For many Poles the political consequences of the war lasted until 1989, when Poland became an independent and democratic state again.

The bombing campaign of Warsaw by the German Luftwaffe during the Invasion of Poland started on 1 September 1939 and resulted in gruelling years of terror, occupation, resistance and tragedy. Visit Poland and pay tribute to the heroes and victims of this city’s events during WWII.

The Battle of the Scheldt occupies a prominent place in the collective memory of the local Zeeland population and beyond. It played a key role in the liberation of the Netherlands and the end of the Second World War.

WWII cost the lives of many civilians in Limburg, and a large number of towns and villages were destroyed by bombings and artillery battles. Various cemeteries, too, bear witness to this dark chapter in Limburg’s history.

To ensure the success of Operation Market Garden, the Allied forces had to capture the bridge in Arnhem. However, the light-armed airborne forces stood no chance against two SS Panzer divisions that happened to be in the area.

During the autumn and winter of 1944-45, the longest battle of the Second World War on German soil took place in the Hürtgen Forest. With this battle, the war precipitated by the Nazi regime returned to Germany. The battle caused numerous casualties on both sides.

The Battle of Berlin was one of the last battles of the Second World War in Europe. The war that had been called for in Berlin finally returned to the city. Many soldiers and civilians died in widespread house-to-house fighting. On 21 April, the first Soviet units finally entered Berlin.

Today, visitors can explore the beautiful landscape of Luxembourg and visit the places where historical events are memorialised, such as General McAuliffe Monument, dedicated to the memory of General Anthony McAuliffe, Division Artillery Commander and Acting Division Commander of the 101st US Airborne.

The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of WWII.

The liberation of Paris was not a priority for the Allies, but an uprising of the population against the Germans on 19 August made it necessary.

London played an important role in nearly every aspect of the Second World War. The city was host to several governments in exile and was an important centre for the planning of the Allied war efforts.

This tour gives travellers the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the American and Allied Forces and follow the path of the First and Second World Wars.

On 6 June 6 1944, Normandy was the theatre of the outcome of the Second World War. Come discover the Second Word War’s story by following the tracks of the soldiers during the landings on Utah, Sword, Omaha, Juno and

This tour tells the story of Canada’s involvement in two of the iconic operations of WWII – the Dieppe raid (1942) and the Normandy campaign that began on D-Day (1944).

This journey helps you discover the main sites of the Second World War in London as well as Dover as an entry point of the tour in the United Kingdom.

This tour will look at operations of the Anglo-Canadian armies of 21st Army Group initially in trying to fix the German forces in the eastern bridgehead in order to support American breakout operations further west.

In May 1945 the US Third Army Division, led by General Patton, entered into Pilsen to liberate the Czech people from six years of German occupation.

Rome was captured by the Allies after the fierce battles of Monte Cassino and Anzio were fought. Today different museums document the history of the city and highlight important events such as the resistance movement and the liberation in June 1944.

Explore the fascinating war in the skies known as the Battle of Britain. After the fall of France in 1940 and their own discouraging defeat in Belgium and France, the United Kingdom regrouped, dug in and took to the air

Full day excursion with a private driver and guide to discover the history of the city of Catania, in Sicily, Italy.

Immerse yourself in the history of the largest Czech city liberated by the US Army during World War II. Tour the places and memorial sites of the US liberation.