Second World War, 1940 - 1945.
The 1940 Emergency (Nood) Vierdaagse.
The cross is of silvered white metal and has a width of 15 mm. It was made by Koninklijke Begeer.
Background.
The 1940 Vierdaagse was due to take place on 23–26 July. Given the disruption in communications and general uncertainty caused by the German invasion of May 1940, the NBVLO considered moving the event to Utrecht or Breda. This was badly received in Nijmegen, where protesters marched to the mayor’s office. On 16 June the March was cancelled altogether, the next official Vierdaagse not taking place until 1946.
After this cancellation, the Nijmeegsche Wandel Verbond (NWV), a local walking club, organised an emergency (Nood in Dutch) Four Days March from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 August 1940. Each day had a different route starting and finishing in Nijmegen. All stayed south of the River Waal, since Dutch engineers had blown both the road and railway bridges on the morning of 10 May before the invading Germans arrived. The first two days saw evening walks of 15 and 20km, Saturday’s 25km starting at noon. Sunday was an all day event, the 30km route finishing in the Goffert Stadium. Here, in front of several thousand spectators, others took part in various sports including football and athletics, all proceeds going to war victims.
At the Goffert Stadium on the final day of the Nood Vierdaagse.
Left: March Leader Major Breunese (in uniform) flanked by the Mayor of Nijmegen (with glasses) and the NBVLO delegate.
Right: Walkers enter the Stadium. In a speech to the crowd, Breunese sounded a note of defiance at the occupation when he declared that the "Nood Vierdaagse had preserved the right to hold this international sports event". [De Gelderlander]
About 1,000 walkers took part in each day’s march, many coming from elsewhere in the Netherlands. This rose to over 2,000 on Sunday. This was a good turnout bearing in mind that the official 1939 Vierdaagse had 3,800 participants. The Sunday total included 700 from Rotterdam. The NWV had agreed they could walk the first three days locally.
The new German occupiers permitted the march even though it was a national event. They hoped the ‘Aryan’ Dutch could be won over to the new Reich. However the organisers had to abide by certain restrictions. The Dutch national flag was not permitted, although from the second day’s march flags from local waking clubs were allowed. Dutch soldiers taking part could not appear in uniform and had to be careful not appear as recognisable military groups.
After the war, suggestions were made that participation in the Nood Vierdaagse should qualify for the official Vierdaagse cross. This was rejected, as one newspaper put it, “Ninety kilometres are not 220!” 220 kilometres (4X55km) was the maximum official Vierdaagse distance in those days.
The 1940 Evening (Avond) Vierdaagse.
Like the Nood Cross, this was of silvered white metal, 15 mm wide and was made by Koninklijke Begeer.
This medal was awarded to those completing evening Vierdaagse walks in Nijmegen organised by the Nijmeegsche Wandel Verbond (NWV) in 1940 and 1941.
These walks started again after 1945. Post war NWV versions of these medals followed the same design, and by the 1950's un-enamelled bronze and gold coloured versions were also awarded, the medal earned representing the number of years a walker had participated in the walk.
Background.
While the German occupiers had permitted the Nood Vierdaagse, they were concerned that such events could become the focus for Dutch national resistance. Further large events of this kind would clearly face severe restrictions.
A number of walking clubs across the Netherlands, including the NWV, therefore held a number of Avond Vierdaagsen or Evening Four Day events. These combined defiance (‘if four-day walks are forbidden, we will hold four-night walks’) with the need not to be too provocative. Holding an event of short walks (5 to 15km) in different towns on the same dates avoided a major national gathering that could face a ban. These evening walks were held in a number of Dutch towns in 1940 and 1941, after which even tighter restrictions by the Nazis meant that no other events could take place during the war. Evening Vierdaagse walks are now held across the Netherlands by KNBLO and other organisations. They are particularly popular with children.
1941- 1945.
As the war progressed the Nazis became increasingly less willing to accept events that expressed Dutch culture and could be a focus for resistance. In 1941 a proposed NBVLO four day march was banned before details – including location – were finalised.
It was clear that any repeat of the 1940 NWV Nood Vierdaagse would also be banned.
Two Nijmegen walking clubs, the men’s ‘Double [Headed] Eagles’ (Dubbele Adelaars) and the women’s ‘Blue Blouses’ (De Blauwvosjes) walked their own informal Vierdaagse from 22 to 25 July, 1941 covering a total distance of 120 km. About 60 walkers took part. The low attendance was partly due to concern that the anti-Nazi stance of some of the organisers could have repercussions for both participants and their families. No medals were awarded, although each successful walker received a certificate. Members of De Blauwvosjes also received an engraved spoon.
Left: The participants of the 1941 Vierdaagse. Their placard translates as "We walked the 4 daagsche anyway". The low key nature of the event is confirmed by the absence of walking club uniforms.
Right: De Blauwvosjes during safer times. A group at the 1937 Vierdaaagse.
[De Wereld Wandelt]
This was the last organised four day event in Nijmegen during the war. In 1942 a few individuals walked their own ‘Vierdaagse’, but no groups.
Oppression by the Nazi occupiers increased as the tide of war turned against them. This culminated in May 1943 when the death penalty was introduced for those who took part in unauthorised gatherings, including walking and other sports events.
Nijmegen during the 1940-1945 War.
A general history of the City of Nijmegen during the war years is included at
Medals of the Nijmegen Vierdaagse.
From 1909 to the present day.
