Volume 1 - Number 2 - May/Aug
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Volume 1 - number 2 - May/Aug. 2014 This magazine appears thr�e times per year � AIRBORNE MAGAZINE· MAY/ AUGUST 201/4 COLOPHON CONTENT 3.-4. The Airborne Magazine is a publication of the A new Curator for the Airborne Museum Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum - Marieke Helsen Oosterbeek [SFAM) and appears three times per year. The objective is to promote the Airborne Museum, the SFAM and the history Autumn5. Meeting SFAM on 15 November 2014 of the Battle of Arnhem. - Eric Paap Editors: 6. Ors. Robert P.G.A. Voskuil, The photo by Sem Presser Wybo Boersma MBE - Robert Voskuil Tessa Janssen [Marketing raSales Airborne Museum) 7.-8. Marieke Helsen, Battle of Arn hem 70 years Curator of the Airborne Museum. - Jan Hovers Archiving and distribution of back numbers of the magazine: 9.Photos of Arnhem in 1945 donated Wybo Boersma, Ede, [email protected] - Robert Voskuil Translation: 9.-10. Peter Burton Battlefield Tour to Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and Walcheren from Friday 3 until Sunday 5 October 2014 Design: - Wybo Boersma Michal Kuscielek Artefakt Design, Nuenen 10. Book review: 'The deployment of 'Jedburgh' Print: teams in Netherlands' Wedding Proson, Harderwijk - Wybo Boersma E-mail address SFAM: 11.-14. info@vriendenai rbornemuseu m.nl Ministory 120 Telephone: 0318 639633 Memories of our experiences on the Klingelbeekseweg in Arn hem, September 1944 Postal address: - Anton van Mens SFAM, lvar Goedings, PO. Box. 8047, 6710 AA, Ede, 15. The Netherlands Program of the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum, 2014. Discount action Especially for members of the SFAM: A maroon coloured T-shirt with the logo of the Airborne Museum for only I €10,00! 2 A NEW CURATOR FOR THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM On 1 May 2014, the new Airborne Museum Curator began working. After a tense selection process with more than 100 qualified candidates, the choice was made of Marieke Helsen. Who is she? The Battle of Arnhem Born in Huissen, Marieke grew up with stories from found live ammunition from WW2. The Explosive Clea days gone by about the Battle of Arn hem 'A Bridge Too rance Service (Dutch Army unit) often came to blow up Far· and the 'the Island' (the Betuwe area, 1944/1945). the bombs and grenades. One day, the metal detector But only when she came across the visual material bleeped continuously. We decided with three of us to from the War, did she really appreciate the actual excavate further and emptied a ditch that was full of reality of the stories from her Father I 1929-1995]. metal: ammunition, crates, helmets weapons etc .... " "At home we owned three wooden boxes bearing an In the Arnhem Council area, she set up a depot and inscription. These were the so-called ·evacuation worked on the results of the excavation. Together with boxes·, with which, my Father's family, after the evacu eight volunteers, the items found were cleaned, regis ation, returned home. "We had nothing I", he recalled. tered, recorded and conserved. Another story from her Father, concerned an afternoon Thereafter, for 10 years, Marieke worked in the when her Father and his brothers were bored' "They Archaeology Dept in the 'Het Valkhof' Museum in decided to change the layout of their bedroom. That Nijmegen. Here she was responsible for the Archae night, a piece of shrapnel came through the window ological collection and the ·Provincial Depot of Buried exactly where a bed previously stood ... " Treasures· of the Gelderland province. She wrote the Public Automated Information System Plan of the 'Het After the evacuation, the family fortunately received Valkhof' Museum and various registration protocols for accommodation in Gramsbergen. Later, they received 'Ad lib', the museum registration system. She designed linen goods, clothing and the three boxes, in which to and realised the digitisation system for the mu- carry their new posses- seum collections with the sions on the return journey eventual object of making to Huissen. "One of these the objects available in a boxes now stands in my digital system to the wider lounge." public. The result of this, "To digitise the current collec amongst other items, is Study and work tion, it will require much time to be seen on the web Marieke studied at the and manpower. Volunteers and site CollectieGelderland. Catholic University at various collaborations are thus nl. There also appears a Nijmegen in the Cultural here very important." number of items from the Anthropology department. Airborne Museum col- An anthropologist studies lection. the culture of others: customs, standards and She combined her role at values, stories and objec- the 'Het Valkhof' Museum tives. This culture can geographically be far away or be with a function in the education system. "I obtained my found in another time frame or age. At the Amsterdam first class teaching qualification and taught with much University, she specialised in Museology. She finished pleasure, Social Studies and Research in the secon . her studies with the question of how an exhibition can dary education area. After those ten years, she had affect the creation of visitor's mental images. In asso the chance to become a full time instructor immedi ciation with this work, she also worked in the Nijme ately, at the HBO (Higher Professional Education] "An gen Cultural Anthropology Museum. Her knowledge amazingly enjoyable role but that, sadly, ended due to of this subject appeared to also fit well in the archaeo cost reductions" logical work area. For some years Marieke worked as archaeologist in Nijmegen and Arnhem and excavated Defence Iron Age farms, native Roman settlements and burial As Curator, Head of department and deputy director at grounds. She has retained powerful memories of the the Marines Museum in Rotterdam, Marieke went, as excavations in the Schuytgraaf (the area east of Oriel a civilian, to work in the Military Defence world. During village) where the work was dangerous. "Often we her time at the Marines Museum, she was often found ➔ ► AIRBORNE MAGAZINE - MAY/ AUGUST 2011, Marieke 1--lelsen, the new Curator of the AirborneMuseum [Photo: Airborne Museum collection} at the Ministry of Defence in The Hague, writing policy NIOD [the Dutch National Institute for Wartime Docu plans; working with the 'National Agency for Inheritan mentation) and the Museums and Memorial Centres ce Inspection·; organised exhibitions and worked in the 40-45. On various websites, the collection will become bunkers in the Hague, where part of the collection was available, such as on digitalecollectienederland.nl, oor stored. "I lived for a month in the barracks, asked mi logsbronnen.nl, Europeane.nl and CollectieGelderland.nl. litary personnel to take films during their Afghanistan The Airborne Museum hopes eventually to present an mission and even acquired a pirate ship from Somalia attractive catalogue about the most important items in for the collection" It was an exciting and educational the collection and their underlying connections. time for Marieke, but her heart lay in the region of her One important addition to the existing collection will be family history. the cultural inheritance from the collection of perso nal stories about the Battle of Arnhem, the 'Airborne Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein' Memories·. These have as a target the 'keeping alive· Since May, Marieke Helsen is the new Curator of the of the history, and the identification, inventory, docu Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein'. She faces a number mentation and making available of this ·oral history·. of challenges. This all forms part of the tasks of the new Curator. A major job for Marieke is the digital opening up of the Also Marieke will look after a number of new inter Museum collection. Also the research and widening museum exhibitions. There will be a working con of the collection is part of this. The objective is with a nection and co-operation achieved with the Museum systematic and formal approach, to clear the backlog Kasteel Wijchen and Museum Arnhem, where objects and enter it all into the system registration. The digiti from the Airborne Museum collection will shortly be sation of the collection will be designed in such a way exhibited. And then, Mari eke will organise events such that it will have maximum connections with the actual as the Weekend of the Wartime book' and sometimes national and international policies of the museum in a lecture, such as about the collection of personal oral heritance sector. The collection will thus be accessible historical stories at the 'Youth University· on 7 Decem to a broad public, for researchers and colleagues. ber 2014. In her own words ·1 have a fantastic job I' To digitise the current collection, it will require much time and manpower. Volunteers and various collabo [Marieke Helsen, Conservator) rations are thus very important, for example, with the Gelderland Archive, the Gelderland Museums, the 4 AUTUMN MEETING SFAM ON 15 NOVEMBER 2014 On Thursday 24 April 2014, amid great interest, the exhibition 'From House and Home - Airborne memories· was opened in the Air borne Museum. This exhibition, as well as the many interviews that took place in the previous years, means for many older citizens, the renewal of their experiences during the Battle with all the resulting hardships. At that time, many, still children, hid in the cellars under their houses. Thereaf ter, they had to flee the continuing storm or, after the battle, were forcibly evacuated from the then developed front line North of the Rhine. The initiative for these interviews and the exhibition has been received with great enthusiasm by these participants. From this it appears that not only the veterans who are received each year with regard and respect, but also those who as citizens in the wartime violence, deserve recognition for the events at that time which, through their contributions, are now brought to light.