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From Holland with thanks
By: Jeff
For the Hershey resident, whose World War II service is immortalized in the book, "Band of Brothers" by Steven Ambrose, it was one of the most emotional days of his life.
"You could see it in their faces," said Major Winters, of the thousands of people lining the streets of the city. "They couldn't do enough. People would bring out chairs from their homes for the men to sit down. They'd bring out food. They'd bring them out drinks.
"It was so different than what we saw in France," said Winters. "Of course in France, they weren't sure we were going to stay, that they were really liberated. But with Holland, they were sure we were going to stay. They had complete faith in us that we would stick with them -- that they were free."
To show their appreciation, the Mayor of Eindhoven and a delegation of city officials traveled across the Atlantic Ocean last week to personally thank Winters for freeing their city from the Nazi occupation and to officially present him with a distinguished citizen of the city medal.
"Every citizen of Eindhoven is very proud that you are one of them," said Mayor Alexander Sakkers, in officially presenting the rarely given award to Major Winters. "Thank you very much for all you've done."
In addition, Sakkers told Winters and the gathering of about 30 people that the city has undertaken an effort, with the help of the United States, to track down the 40 other members of Easy Company who helped liberate the city.
They will be honored too for "exceptional service" and for "risking their lives to bring about the liberation of Eindhoven and the surrounding region under life-threatening circumstances.
"When you came to the city, people were so happy. They were so grateful," Sakkers told Winters. "It was a very emotional, a very big moment."
Today, said Sakkers, September 18 marks one of the biggest celebrations of the year in Eindhoven, drawing more than 10,000 people to the square.
At last year's celebration, standing before a throng of citizens, Sakkers spoke with Winters on the phone and officially announced the awarding of the honorary citizen medal. The conversation was broadcast on live television throughout the city.
"The 18th of September will always be symbolic of gratefulness and of freedom that was earned in those days and is so important for everyone, every day," said Sakkers.
And Sakkers said the city is spreading the message to its young people so "they understand the importance of being free and about being grateful to those people who have fought for or are still fighting for their freedom."
In addition to the honors, Alexander Omhoff, chairman of the Market Garden Committee of Holland, presented Winters with a Dutch translation of his book, "Band of Brothers."
In "Band of Brothers," Ambrose tells the story of Winters and Easy Company, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, The story chronicles the experiences of these young men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear.
In appreciation, Winters presented the members of the delegation with a scrapbook, "Memories of Holland," filled with photographs and articles documenting the liberation of Eindhoven.
"Everyone is still talking about the parachutists who fell out of the sky - coming from heaven," said Sakkers.
Winters also presented the delegation with a DVD of his memories of Holland. The DVD was created by Carol Webber who was given the task by the Major to assemble photographs from his campaigns into a DVD..
As she worked on the project, Webber said she soon came to understand "how the men that served under Major Winters did so with such dedication and respect, for he still has a way of encouraging and empowering those around him to do greater things.
"And so I made a DVD with hundreds of photos, divided them into chapters and put them to music and our gift to you is his chapter on his memories of Holland," Webber told Mayor Sakkers. "And so, for you, 'Memories of Holland,' because your country will always have a special place in his heart."
Last week's meeting was especially meaningful and very emotional for Sakkers, who finally got to meet Major Winters and to thank him personally for liberating his city.
"Being the first citizen of Einhoven myself, this is something I can tell people," said Sakkers. "I'll tell the people that I have a new friend and that we should really cherish this friendship and the meaning of the liberation of Einhoven."
Sakkers said he would probably be talking to the citizens of his city as early as this week about his meeting with Major Winters. "I'm sure I'll be talking about my experiences here with Mr. Winters."
Afterwards, Winters describ-ed the whole thing as "unbelievable. I can't understand how these people from Holland took the time and the expense out of their life to come over here to Hershey and have a visit.
"I really appreciate it," continued Winters. "I only wish I could share it with all the fellows. But it's impossible. There's no point to having any input as to how it happened, why it happened or that you had any part of cultivating it. It just happened. And you have all these great people to share it with."
As for his message to the people of Holland, Winters said, "I'd tell them to try and remember and appreciate how the people who were liberated felt."
"You could see it in their faces," said Major Winters, of the thousands of people lining the streets of the city. "They couldn't do enough. People would bring out chairs from their homes for the men to sit down. They'd bring out food. They'd bring them out drinks.
"It was so different than what we saw in France," said Winters. "Of course in France, they weren't sure we were going to stay, that they were really liberated. But with Holland, they were sure we were going to stay. They had complete faith in us that we would stick with them -- that they were free."
To show their appreciation, the Mayor of Eindhoven and a delegation of city officials traveled across the Atlantic Ocean last week to personally thank Winters for freeing their city from the Nazi occupation and to officially present him with a distinguished citizen of the city medal.
"Every citizen of Eindhoven is very proud that you are one of them," said Mayor Alexander Sakkers, in officially presenting the rarely given award to Major Winters. "Thank you very much for all you've done."
In addition, Sakkers told Winters and the gathering of about 30 people that the city has undertaken an effort, with the help of the United States, to track down the 40 other members of Easy Company who helped liberate the city.
They will be honored too for "exceptional service" and for "risking their lives to bring about the liberation of Eindhoven and the surrounding region under life-threatening circumstances.
"When you came to the city, people were so happy. They were so grateful," Sakkers told Winters. "It was a very emotional, a very big moment."
Today, said Sakkers, September 18 marks one of the biggest celebrations of the year in Eindhoven, drawing more than 10,000 people to the square.
At last year's celebration, standing before a throng of citizens, Sakkers spoke with Winters on the phone and officially announced the awarding of the honorary citizen medal. The conversation was broadcast on live television throughout the city.
"The 18th of September will always be symbolic of gratefulness and of freedom that was earned in those days and is so important for everyone, every day," said Sakkers.
And Sakkers said the city is spreading the message to its young people so "they understand the importance of being free and about being grateful to those people who have fought for or are still fighting for their freedom."
In addition to the honors, Alexander Omhoff, chairman of the Market Garden Committee of Holland, presented Winters with a Dutch translation of his book, "Band of Brothers."
In "Band of Brothers," Ambrose tells the story of Winters and Easy Company, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, The story chronicles the experiences of these young men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear.
In appreciation, Winters presented the members of the delegation with a scrapbook, "Memories of Holland," filled with photographs and articles documenting the liberation of Eindhoven.
"Everyone is still talking about the parachutists who fell out of the sky - coming from heaven," said Sakkers.
Winters also presented the delegation with a DVD of his memories of Holland. The DVD was created by Carol Webber who was given the task by the Major to assemble photographs from his campaigns into a DVD..
As she worked on the project, Webber said she soon came to understand "how the men that served under Major Winters did so with such dedication and respect, for he still has a way of encouraging and empowering those around him to do greater things.
"And so I made a DVD with hundreds of photos, divided them into chapters and put them to music and our gift to you is his chapter on his memories of Holland," Webber told Mayor Sakkers. "And so, for you, 'Memories of Holland,' because your country will always have a special place in his heart."
Last week's meeting was especially meaningful and very emotional for Sakkers, who finally got to meet Major Winters and to thank him personally for liberating his city.
"Being the first citizen of Einhoven myself, this is something I can tell people," said Sakkers. "I'll tell the people that I have a new friend and that we should really cherish this friendship and the meaning of the liberation of Einhoven."
Sakkers said he would probably be talking to the citizens of his city as early as this week about his meeting with Major Winters. "I'm sure I'll be talking about my experiences here with Mr. Winters."
Afterwards, Winters describ-ed the whole thing as "unbelievable. I can't understand how these people from Holland took the time and the expense out of their life to come over here to Hershey and have a visit.
"I really appreciate it," continued Winters. "I only wish I could share it with all the fellows. But it's impossible. There's no point to having any input as to how it happened, why it happened or that you had any part of cultivating it. It just happened. And you have all these great people to share it with."
As for his message to the people of Holland, Winters said, "I'd tell them to try and remember and appreciate how the people who were liberated felt."
©Hershey Chronicle 2007
