Witnessing an Evacuation Frozen in Stone
On May 12, 1940, with German forces advancing and Breda threatened by crossfire, the city's burgemeester ordered roughly 50,000 residents—nearly the entire population—to leave within a single day. They went on foot and by bicycle, pushing prams and carts south toward Belgium, a procession of ordinary people displaced by extraordinary circumstances. German aircraft struck the evacuation route. By the time residents returned to find their city largely untouched, 104 people lay dead. De Vlucht—The Flight—is what locals call this exodus. In Valkenberg park, sculptor Hein Koreman's memorial stands to mark what happened: a physical anchor to a moment when Breda emptied itself in panic that turned out to be partly unnecessary.
Standing at the Monument
You'll find the memorial in Valkenberg, the large and pleasant park that sits halfway between Breda's train station and the Grote Markt—the very heart of the city. The sculpture by Hein Koreman commemorates De Vlucht and the lives lost during the evacuation. It is a place to pause and read the names and stories. Each May 4th, Breda holds its commemoration of the dead at this spot, connecting the monument to the city's present and its remembrance traditions.
Understanding What Unfolded
On May 10, 1940, the German invasion began; air raid sirens sounded in Breda. Two days later, evacuation orders sent thousands into motion. They traveled on two separate routes toward Antwerp in Belgium, a journey of several days. Locals along the way offered food and water. By May 17, evacuees were sheltering in a girls' school in Sint-Niklaas, a small town south of Antwerp. Then German bombing struck. The Red Cross arrived to tend the wounded. Among those injured was a nine-year-old girl named Gré Machielse, who lost her left arm and two fingers on her right hand—one of thousands whose lives were altered in hours. When Breda's residents finally returned, they discovered the city had been spared significant bombing or gunfire damage. The evacuation that saved no one from local destruction had cost 104 lives.
Making the Most of Your Visit
The memorial is accessible during daylight hours in Valkenberg park, a space you can explore freely year-round. Come on or near May 4th if you wish to witness the city's formal remembrance. Otherwise, visit at your own pace—early morning or late afternoon tends to be quieter. Allow time to sit and absorb the monument's significance; it is not a spectacle but a witness to history. Bring a notebook if you wish to record names or reflect on what the sculpture represents: ordinary people displaced, separated families, and the arbitrary line between survival and loss.
Nearby in Breda's City Centre
Valkenberg's position places you near much of what defines Breda. Walk toward the Grote Markt to see the Grote Kerk, the 15th-century Brabantine Gothic cathedral with its nearly 100-meter tower and one of the country's largest organs. The Old City Hall stands modestly at the market's edge, a quietly austere example of 18th-century Dutch architecture now serving as a historic monument and tourist information point. If you wish to deepen your understanding of the region's history, the Stedelijk Museum Breda—open Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 to 17:00, and weekends from 10:00 to 17:00—holds exhibitions on the Nassau family and local art. The Begijnhof, with its herb garden and small museum, offers another window into Breda's layered past. For a broader sense of local and regional history, consider the Maczek Memorial, which documents the 1st Polish Armoured Division's liberation of areas of the Netherlands in 1944 and 1945.
To understand Breda is to recognize that cities hold multiple stories at once: a memorial in a park, a church that survived, residents who returned to find their homes intact while mourning those who did not. De Vlucht asks you to hold that complexity. Begin your visit with the monument, then let the city itself tell you the rest.