#Monument
War monuments in Wierden
The Stationsplein (Station Square) in Wierden displays war monuments to commemorate the Second World War in the village, from the persecution of Jewish people to the liberation by the Canadian forces. The Algonquin Regiment Monument remembers the Canadian regiment which freed the village, whilst the Jewish Monument commemorates people from Wierden who were murdered during the Holocaust.
Algonquin Regiment Monument
This monument commemorates the Canadian Algonquin Regiment, which played a key role in the liberation of Wierden. The Algonquin Regiment was an infantry unit of the Canadian Army, operating under the command of the 4th Canadian Division. Originally from Ontario, the regiment departed for the United Kingdom in June 1944. The following month, they landed in France and took part in the Allied advance through Northwest Europe until the end of the war.
Their route took them through France and Belgium to the Netherlands, where they reached Wierden. There, they fought for five days to liberate the village. On 9 April 1945, Wierden was finally freed from German occupation, after which the regiment continued its advance towards Rijssen and Enter. Following the capitulation of Nazi Germany, the regiment was stationed in the Wierden area to rest and prepare for its return to Canada. This monument was unveiled on 22 May 2018 in the presence of Canadian history students from Nipissing University.
Jewish Monument
This monument commemorates the nine Jewish residents of Wierden who were murdered by the German occupiers during the Second World War. It is a memorial stone bearing the names of the victims. Above the names is a Star of David, the symbol of Judaism. Among the names are members of the De Haas family, as well as two relatives of Meijer Pagrach. Meijer Pagrach survived the war by going into hiding near Wierden. Moses and Reintje were his uncle and aunt. The monument was unveiled on 3 May 1995.