oorlogsmonumenten

Towards the end of the Second World War many people died during the Georgian Uprising on Texel. Texel was part of the German defence line. There are many bunkers across the island and many war monuments have been built.

The good shepherd

The war monument ‘De Goede Herder' 1940-1945 is located at the entrance to the cemetery on the Kogerstraat and includes a statue of The Good Shepherd. The statue was uncovered on the 4th of May 1961 and was designed by Mr. T.H. Mulder and Mr. M.S. Andriessen. The statue is made of bronze and the column is made of slabs of Muschel limestone. In 1998 there were two memorial plaques placed by the war monument stating the names of Texel inhabitants who lost their lives due to the war.

Tree of Life

On the 4th of May 1975 ‘De Levensboom' (Tree of Life) was uncovered at the cemetery at the Kogerstraat. The copper Tree of Life is a present from the Georgians who survived the uprising at the end of the Second World War. With the text: "For our fallen Dutch brothers and sisters. USSR - Georgia" they paid their gratitude for the help which they had received from countless Texel inhabitants. The statue was designed by Georgi Otchiauri, Tia Draparidze and Zurab Sakvarelidze.

Cross of sacrifice

A standard cross which is placed at every war cemetery of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The war monument commemorates the fallen allied military war victims.
Location: the cemetery at the Kogerstraat.

The Arbour

Information building with a digital information wing providing collected details of the military servicemen who are buried in the Commonwealth section of the public cemetary in Den Burg. On the back wall of the arbour is a plaque which gives a summary of the course of the Second World War on Texel.
Memorial boulders for crashed aircraft

• Pontweg, near 't Horntje,Halifax, 12-6-1943

• Mokweg, next to the former practice butt, Beaufighter, 14-09-1944

• Watermolenweg, Den Burg, B17G 43-38992,03-04-1945

• Hemmerkooi, Lancaster, 17-12-1942* Fonteinsnol, Lancaster, 15-01-1944

• NH Church Oudeschild, Lancaster, 23-11-1943

• Polder Zandkes, Nieuweschild, Halifax, 09-11-1942

• Dyke behind Oost, Lancaster, 15-02-1944

• Krimweg, Short Stirling, 09-09-1944

Georgian cemetery, Hoge Berg

In 1953 a memorial wall was opened at the Georgian Cemetery. It is a granite wall in which both the Texel coat of arms and the emblem of the Soviet Union are engraved.

Georgian cemetery entrance gate

The Georgians who fell at the end of the Second World War were buried in a special cemetery at the Hoge Berg. During the memorial ceremony on the 4th of May 1970 the Georgian director Rezo Tabukasjwilli brought a copper name plate to be installed on the entrance gate. On the plate the text "Common grave for the Soviet soldiers from Georgia" is written in three languages. In 1973 the fence was replaced by a wrought iron fence: a present from the Georgian people and made in Georgia. The monument is decorated with the name plate and bronze reliefs made by the Georgian artist Nodaz Mgaloblisjwilli.

Memorial plaque

Canteen of the football club Texel '94 Haffelderweg, Den Burg. A memorial plaque is to be found on the side of the canteen in commemoration of the members of the football club Texel '94 who died during the war.

Propeller of a 'Flying Fortress'

Lancasterdijk near the IJzeren Kaap. On 15-02-1944 the Lancaster ND363 PM-K crashed here. A propeller of a ‘Flying Fortress' is installed on the wooden frame. The monument is a symbol of the allied military planes (more than 40) which crashed on and around Texel during the Second World War.

Lubertischool, De Koog Brink 29

"Children playing in freedom" is a symbol for peace. The statue portrays a young boy playing with a ball and doves (of peace). It was uncovered on the 5th of May 1981 and was designed by Georgian artist Gia Djapavidtse. The sculptural work is by Nodar Kvateladse and was a gift from the Georgian republic.
In 2000 two doves which sat on the child's legs disappeared. This damage and cracks in the copper caused by the weather were restored after which the statue was reinstated at the original location in 2001.

Catholic Church Johannes de Doper, Molenstraat, Den Burg

The right hand window was destroyed during the Georgian uprising and was replaced by a special stained glass window. It portrays a ship leaving Oudeschild. This window was made to show thanks to the Texel men who were deported during the war.

Many monuments remind us of the Second World War. You will find more War monuments and rememberancestones on www.oorlogsmonumenten.nl