Arnhem

Arnhem is a city in the east of the Netherlands, located on the Rhine and the capital of the Gelderland province. Arnhem had a 2000 population of 136,762, most of whom were Dutch.

The municipality also comprises the following towns, villages and townships: Elden, Schaarsbergen.

Arnhem has an electric trolleybus system, the only one in the country.

In World War II, during Operation Market Garden (September 1944), the British 1st Airborne Division were given the task of securing the bridge at Arnhem. The division was parachuted into the area on September 17. The bulk of the force was dropped rather far from the bridge and never met their objective. A small force managed to make their way as far as the bridge but was unable to secure both sides. The Allied troops encountered stiff resistance from the German 9th SS Panzer Division, which unbeknownst to the Allied commanders had been stationed in and around the city. The British force at the bridge eventually surrendered on September 21 and a full withdrawal of the remaining forces was made on September 26. Dramatised in A Bridge Too Far.

Arnhem was the birthplace of physicist Hendrik Lorentz.

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