Battlefields of WW2 - Grebbeberg, Rhenen, Netherlands

WW2 Battlefields - Grebbeberg - Netherlands

Some of the heaviest fighting between Dutch and German forces in may 1940 was conducted on and around the Grebbeberg (Grebbe mountain) in the centre of Holland. The Grebbeberg is a natural obstacle some 50 metres high lying on the Lower Rhine river.

In 1940 it was one of the key points the Dutch defense was centered on and a main objective of the German forces. So much so that they deployed one of their elite units against the Dutch defenders: the SS Brigade "Der Führer" supported also by another SS Brigade, the "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler". In 1940 these were not the notorious panzer divisions they later became but infantry brigades consisting of fanatical but yet untested volunteers. The SS units were reinforcing the 207th Wehrmach infantry division. All in all some 23,000 men and 58 field guns.
The Dutch forces consisted of the 4th infantry divsion. Some 15,000 men supported by 88 field guns. They were largely conscripts.

The fighting started in the night of may 10 to 11th and then raged on for three days. On may 11 the SS managed to to take the first of three defense lines (voorpostenlijn) directly in front of the Grebbeberg in all-out assault. Then in the evening German armoured cars tried a surpise attack on the road crossing the hill but were repelled by a Dutch anti-tank gun. A Dutch counter attack was also repelled. It did however stop the German plans of a night attack on the mountain.

Come morning of may 12 the Germans - again led by the SS brigade "Der Führer" - attacked the mountain itself and intense fighting raged all day with artillery barrages from both sides inflicting many casualties. Men-to-men fighting was seen on the slopes of the wooded hill were the Dutch Frontline was re-inforced by casemates and a 18th century fortress "Hoornwerk". Finally, in the afternoon the SS managed to take the most important elements of the Dutch line (Frontlijn) with their surplus of automatic weapons giving them an advantage.
This left just one Dutch line of defense (Stoplijn) and in the late afternoon of may 12 the Germans first attacked it. The SS was now massed together on a tight spot on the Grebbeberg and became vulnerable to Dutch artillery which caused many casualties. This gave some momentum to the Dutch but a Dutch counterattack was also repulsed with a Dutch major - Johan Henri Azon Jacometti - KIA when leading it with a drawn saber. At the end of the day the last Dutch line still held and the top of the mountain was still in Dutch hands. Hundreds of dead covered the battlefield.

In the early morning of may 13 the Dutch again counterattacked to throw the Germans back. They even threw their last remaining air force units - 4 Fokker C-X fighter bombers- into the fight to bomb and strafe German positions. The Dutch managed to advance to the former frontline but then were repelled by the SS and the advance turned into a rout when German artillery pounded the Dutch attackers. In the afternoon 27 Stuka dive bombers added to the panic in the Dutch ranks and Dutch positions all along the mountain started to crumble. With the exception of some positions where men like Major Willem Pieter Landzaat literally fought to the last bullet the Germans were able to take the last Dutch line and the Grebbeberg was lost. In some recorded instances the SS used Dutch POW's as a human shield when advancing; a clear breach of the Geneva convention.

The 4th division withdrew to the next major Dutch defense line in the night of may 13 line; the "Hollandse waterlinie". The fall of the Grebbeberg was a huge blow to Dutch moral and breached the entire Dutch frontline which then withdrew to the waterlinie. It was never tested because the next day Rotterdam was terror-bombed and the Dutch signed an armistice under threat of more bombing attack on Dutch cities.

Dutch casualties on the Grebbeberg were heavy. In total, 18 officers and 399 NCOs and men had lost their lives during the three days of battle. German casualties were lower, but this has led to some contention since many eye-witness reports do not match those figures that the Germans released. The official number is 238 KIA, but estimates move between 250 and 300 killed (source: Wikipedia).
The Dutch casualties are buried on the Grebbeberg in the Dutch "Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg" (Grebbeberg war cemetery).
For an excellent English accounto fthe battle check: www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page=an-english-summary-2

Most of the Dutch soldiers KIA are buried on the Grebbeberg in the Dutch "Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg" (Grebbeberg war cemetery).
For an excellent English accounto fthe battle check: www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page=an-english-summary-2

On the photo: Dutch type SZW casemate at the Stoplijn, Grebbeberg.

Photo was tonemapped using three handheld shots with a Fuji X-pro3 and Fujinon 18-55 lens, october 2020.

Taken in: Holland / Provincie Utrecht / Laareind (show map)

Taken on: October 17, 2020

Sets appears in: • Battlefields

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Camera: Fujifilm X-Pro3, f/2.8, 1/160 sec, 16mm (=24mm), ISO 800 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Fujifilm X-Pro3
Lens:	XF16mmF1.4 R WR
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:	16mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm)
ISO:	800
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto bracket
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Manual
Light Source:	Daylight
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 10.1.1 (Windows)
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