Bleijenbeek Castle () is situated in the small hamlet of

Bleijenbeek Bleijenbeek () is a small hamlet in the Netherlands, Dutch province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg.''ANWB Topografische Atlas Nederland'', Topografische Dienst and ANWB, 2005. It is located in the municipality of Bergen, Limburg, Bergen, about 2 ...

in the

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

province of

Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...

.''ANWB Topografische Atlas Nederland'', Topografische Dienst and ANWB, 2005. According to the 19th-century historian A.J. van der Aa, the castle is known for its numerous sieges by the armies of

Guelders The Duchy of Guelders (; ; ) is a historical duchy, previously county, of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries. Geography The duchy was named after the town of Geldern (''Gelder'') in present-day Germany. Though the present pr ...

and

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. In 1580, the castle was besieged by the forces of Guelders, but it was defended bravely by the lord of the castle, Marten Schenk. When the

Duke of Parma The Duke of Parma and Piacenza () was the ruler of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, a List of historic states of Italy, historical state of Northern Italy. It was created by Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese) for his son Pier Luigi Farnese, Du ...

sent cavalry, the besieging army had to retreat. In 1589, Schenk changed sides, and the castle was besieged by Marcus van Rije, the stadtholder of Guelders appointed by the Spanish king; this time, the castle was conquered. The castle has lain in ruins since the bombardment by the British RAF on 21 and 22 February 1945, during

Operation Veritable Operation Veritable (also known as the Battle of the Reichswald) was the northern part of an Allies of World War II, Allied pincer movement that took place between 8 February and 11 March 1945 during the final stages of the World War II, Second ...

. It was defended by only 15

Fallschirmjäger The () were the airborne forces branch of the Luftwaffe before and during World War II. They were the first paratroopers to be committed in large-scale airborne operations. They were commanded by Kurt Student, the Luftwaffe's second-in-comman ...

who held out against three separate assaults until it was bombed with nine 1,000 pound bombs. Their fierce determination to hold out was reflected by a slogan found in the castle's interior when it was taken. It reads "Sieg oder Sibirien" (Victory or Siberia). In 2009, the property was purchased by the Bleijenbeek Foundation, which intends to restore the remaining structure, moat, and surrounding gardens and provide public access after work is complete. Construction began in the summer of 2012.

References

External links

Kasteelbleijenbeek.nl
(in Dutch) — Website of the Bleijenbeek Foundation, which currently owns and is restoring Bleijenbeek Castle. Buildings and structures destroyed during World War II Ruined castles in the Netherlands Castles in Limburg (Netherlands) Rijksmonuments in Limburg Bergen, Limburg {{Netherlands-castle-stub

See also

References

External links