At the Nationaal Onderduikmuseum in Aalten, the history of hiding and resistance during the Second World War is told through small personal stories. Alongside this perspective on wartime are collections of everyday objects, the fortified small town of Bredevoort and paths through a landscape shaped by hedgerows and waterways.
Stories of hiding and remembrance
The museum’s “Escape Room for Freedom” is based on the questions and dilemmas faced by people forced to flee. You can also experience wartime stories interactively there. At the museum, you can see the original hiding place and the building’s shelter cellar at Markt 12. In this building, visitors can also look for the entrance to an illegal print shop and view identity documents from the wartime period. Together, these offer different glimpses of everyday life during the occupation. Some exhibition elements may change; if one of them is important to you, check what is currently on offer before your visit.
The Aalten Synagogue also connects history with contemporary cultural life: it is one of the few synagogues in the eastern Netherlands that is still suitable for religious services. Guided tours that include some Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) and the synagogue are offered to Dutch and German school classes and groups of young adults. Program details may change; if you are interested in such a tour, it is advisable to check what is currently available in advance.
Everyday objects and historic places
The De Neeth Farm Museum is housed in a 1910 barn that has been largely preserved in its original state. The Schoppe has officially operated as a museum since 2000. On display are household and agricultural objects, including kitchen utensils, tools, traditional clothing and bed linen from 1850 to 1950. The collection brings together items from domestic and farming life, offering a different perspective on the past from the wartime memories at the museum in Aalten.
De Neeth is also home to ’t Hoekendaalshuusken. It displays a collection of 600 different toilet paper strips and rolls from around the world. Visits are possible without an appointment and free of charge from 1 April through 1 October. As visiting hours are seasonal, check the details before you travel.
Bredevoort is a former lordship and a fortified small town in the municipality of Aalten. Centuries-old streets, the fortress park beside the old town moat and the green surroundings invite you to go for a walk. The present-day De Prins van Oranje windmill was built in 1870. It is generally open to the public on Saturdays and by appointment. As opening arrangements may change, check them before your visit.
Countryside and routes in the municipality of Aalten
The landscape of the municipality of Aalten is characterised by extensive grasslands, small-scale arable fields, densely vegetated hedgerows, centuries-old forests and distinctive raised bog areas. The municipality also includes the Aaltense Goor, the IJzerlose Rug, the monastic landscape near Bredevoort, and the Slinge and Keizersbeek streams. The Aaltense Goor is a nature reserve of around 200 hectares with a high density of breeding birds. If you are interested in birds and landscapes, you will find a distinctive natural highlight here alongside the historic townscapes.
In the Loohuis area, you can walk through woodland beside the water and through grassland and arable fields with hedgerows. From Aalten railway station, Loohuis is about 15 minutes away by bicycle; the actual journey time may vary depending on the route. There are also different types of routes for other outings: the two Onderduikroutes are 20- and 35-kilometre cycling routes about hiding during the Second World War. They pass hiding places and shelters in Aalten, Dinxperlo and the surrounding area.
The Aaltense Gängeskes route is shorter at 2.5 kilometres and runs along historic narrow lanes in the centre of Aalten. Around Aalten, the Akkerrandroutes comprise five cycling routes and two walking routes. GPX files are available to download; the routes start and end at the same point. Check the latest route details before setting out.
In Dinxperlo and Suderwick, too, various historical themes take centre stage. The Smokkelroute shares smugglers’ stories and anecdotes through QR codes at the route markers. The “GrenzenLos” walking route brings the shared history and special cooperation between the two towns to life. The Erfgoedroutes also link heritage sites and countryside; route booklets and information boards explain the stories behind them. The municipality of Aalten also has historic town walks, wartime heritage routes, and routes past old farms and churches.
Discover more destinations: Aalten, Ijzerlo, Bredevoort, Dinxperlo, Lingewaard, Nunspeet, Epe and Wageningen.
Back to the regional travel overview: Gelderland.
