Hotel de Wereld (meaning Hotel The World) is a 4-star hotel in Wageningen. It was the site of the capitulation of the German troops in the Netherlands on 5 May 1945, marking the end of German occupation during World War II.[1]
This historic event is celebrated every May 5 as Netherlands' Liberation Day national holiday.
History
In 1669 Jacob Meijnsen had a hotel outside the city gates of Wageningen.[citation needed] It was a stopping place between Utrecht and Arnhem. The inn appears on a map of Gerard Passevant in 1676. In 1814 the oldest painting of the hotel was made, this painting was commissioned by Gerrit Steuk when he became the owner of the inn. In 1852 a new hotel was built (current building) on the foundations of the old inn. In 1872 a new three-story extension was built.
The building was restored in 2004 and has functioned as a hotel and restaurant since.[2] The restaurant, O Mundo, was awarded a star in the Michelin Guide in 2010, losing said star in 2018.[3][4][5][6]
When British Field Marshal Montgomery reached Lübeck and the Baltic Sea in the beginning of May 1945, the German troops in Denmark and part of the Netherlands were isolated from their homebase. Without major fights, they surrendered to Montgomery on May 4 at Lüneburg Heath.
By 1975 the hotel was fully restored. The restored hotel was opened by H.R.H. Prince Bernhard, who represented the Netherlands at the capitulation in 1945.
On 8 July 1945 a bronze plaque was attached to the wall of the hotel by the Canadians. On 9 July Prince Bernhard unveiled the plaque which was given by General Foulkes to remember the capitulation act signed in Wageningen.
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