Poelestraat

During liberation, a tank makes its way down the Poelestraat. The photo was taken from an upper floor of the building that currently houses night club &ZO.

The Hereplein was hit hard during the liberation efforts. This photo was taken from the current Groninger Forum movie theatre, looking toward the Herestraat.

The area around the Martini tower was destroyed by gunfire, but the tower itself made it through the war relatively unscathed. However, bullet holes can still be seen in its walls. The Hoofdwacht, which was built as a courthouse in 1509, went up in flames. Later, De Kostery was built in its place.

In June 1945, a group of professors make their way from the Grote Markt to the Academy building for the official reopening of the university.

SS officers parading on the Grote Markt. The soldiers stand in front of city hall, facing the Scholtenshuis.

A Hitler Youth meeting in July 1941. In the background, the buildings currently housing the pubs De Drie Gezusters and De Groote Griet, and the Grand Theatre are visible.

On the east side of the Grote Markt stood one of Groningen’s most infamous buildings. The Scholenshuis was used by the Sicherheidsdienst (SD) to imprison, interrogate, and torture resistance fighters. After the war, Vindicat, whose building had been destroyed during the war, bought the building for a song because no shop owner wanted it.

After the liberation in April of 1945, tanks make their way down the Gelkingestraat.

The Broerstraat in front of the Academy building. In the middle is a shelter. On the right is the Sint Martinus church, which was later torn down to make way for the new university library. The front of the Academy building was hit by a grenade during the war, but the building suffered no other damage.