The war years of Audrey Hepburn
Arnhem, Velp, Oosterbeek
The daughter of a British father and a Dutch mother of noble birth, Audrey or Adriaantje, as she was called at home, spent her early years of life in Brussels and London. Her parents were strongly pro-German and met Adolf Hitler during the Reichsparteitag in 1935. Audrey's parents divorced in 1939 and her mother Ella brought Audrey to the Netherlands, expecting the neutral Netherlands to stay out of the war. The family first lived in Arnhem in a single-family house at Sickeszlaan 7, but soon moved to a spacious upstairs flat at Jansbinnensingel 8a. Audrey passionately took ballet lessons; her first public performance was at Musis Sacrum. This building was used during the German occupation as a Wehrmachtsheim, a building where soldiers of the German Wehrmacht could recreate. Audrey's grandfather, Baron van Heemstra, was mayor of Arnhem from 1910 to 1920 and for some time rented rooms in Huis Zypendael, where Audrey could also often be found. After Audrey's uncle Otto was captured by the occupying forces and later executed, Ella repented in 1942 and gave up all her ties with the occupying forces. She moved in with her parents at Villa Beukenhof in Velp at 32 Rozendaalselaan. The villa was demolished and on this spot now stands a statue of Audrey, cast in bronze. By 1944, almost everyone in Velp had been hit by the war. Many of Velp's villas had been confiscated by the occupying forces, Jewish residents had been taken away or had gone into hiding. Cycling through Velp, you can quickly get an idea of how exciting it must have been here with top German soldiers as neighbours and a huge resistance network at work. The resistance group was mostly controlled by doctors from Hospital Velp. Audrey helped Dr Visser ‘t Hooft in the hospital and at illegal musical performances, the so-called “black nights”. In the late summer of 1944, prior to Operation Market Garden, Deelen airfield was successfully bombed by the Allies. The German occupation forces were heavily hit and the situation became dire. German soldiers wanted to escape the well-organised Allied forces and lack of leadership made the situation unpredictable. Ella wanted to leave Velp because of the danger but was too late. Arnhem was largely destroyed during the Battle of Arnhem. On Friday 22 September the order came that the inhabitants of Arnhem had to leave their devastated city. 95,000 people fled and Velp was flooded with refugees. The refugees found shelter in churches, the Open Air Museum, Rosendael Castle and in people's homes. In the basement of villa Beukenhorst, the Van Heemstra family provided food for a British soldier and hid dozens of displaced refugees. During the 1944 Hunger Winter, there was a great scarcity of food and fuel. People suffered from hunger and there were many casualties here in Velp as well. The first food transports from Sweden ended the harsh conditions in March 1945. However, Velp was not liberated until 16 April. Audrey later recounted that she ate an entire can of condensed milk empty after the liberation and was terribly nauseated. She used this experience in her later work for Unicef, for which she was ambassador from 1989 until her death. After the war, Audrey and her mother still moved to Amsterdam, where she resumed her dancing career and took her first steps towards the film industry. She played some small roles but a breakthrough did not happen. Together with her mother, Audrey decided to move to London where she continued working on her great passion ballet. She also worked as a model. In 1948, she was asked to play the lead role in the French play ‘Gigi’. After a successful run on Broadway, Audrey auditioned in Hollywood for ‘Roman Holiday’ starring Gregory Peck. With this film, Audrey won her first Oscar as best actress in 1953. She won no less than five Oscars in her career. From 1967, Audrey took a step back and played in only a few more feature films. She was appointed special ambassador for Unicef to which she devoted her heart and soul. Audrey died in 1993 in her hometown of Tolochenaz in Switzerland. Arnhem is visibly proud of its world-famous former resident, several statues of Audrey have been erected and a square has been named after her. This Premium cycling route was compiled by our editor: Yvonne Vlaskamp.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Koningsweg , 6816 TB Arnhem | 48.7 KM | |
|
From
4
to
55
|
1198 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head northeast on Koningsweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 55 | 0 M | ||
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From
55
to
3
|
1317 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Koningsweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 03 | 0 M | ||
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From
3
to
23
|
2774 M | 2.8 KM | |
| Head north on Hoenderloseweg (N804) | 2.8 KM | ||
| You are now at section 23 | 0 M | ||
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From
23
to
92
|
3860 M | 3.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Hooiweg | 3.8 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 18 M | ||
| You are now at section 92 | 0 M | ||
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From
92
to
24
|
354 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head east | 142 M | ||
| Continue onto Koningsweg | 170 M | ||
| Turn left | 42 M | ||
| You are now at section 24 | 0 M | ||
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From
24
to
67
|
4201 M | 4.2 KM | |
| Head east | 1.8 KM | ||
| Turn right | 2 KM | ||
| Continue onto Kluizenaarsweg | 374 M | ||
| You are now at section 67 | 0 M | ||
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From
67
to
34
|
592 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head east | 592 M | ||
| You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
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From
34
to
21
|
2272 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head south | 654 M | ||
| Continue onto Beekhuizenseweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Alteveerselaan | 12 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Alteveerselaan | 290 M | ||
| Turn left onto den Bruijl | 15 M | ||
| You are now at section 21 | 0 M | ||
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From
21
to
77
|
1356 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head southeast on den Bruijl | 521 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Beekhuizenseweg | 805 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hoofdstraat | 30 M | ||
| You are now at section 77 | 0 M | ||
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From
77
to
72
|
1017 M | 1 KM | |
| Head west on Hoofdstraat | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 72 | 0 M | ||
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From
72
to
71
|
1246 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head northwest | 29 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Daalhuizerweg | 478 M | ||
| Turn right onto Schelmseweg | 719 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 20 M | ||
| You are now at section 71 | 0 M | ||
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From
71
to
64
|
295 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head north | 295 M | ||
| You are now at section 64 | 0 M | ||
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From
64
to
51
|
2323 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head southwest | 24 M | ||
| Continue onto Rosendaalseweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 51 | 0 M | ||
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From
51
to
69
|
2389 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head southwest on Rosendaalseweg | 147 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Rosendaalsestraat | 34 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Rosendaalsestraat | 71 M | ||
| Turn right onto Vijverlaan | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Hommelseweg | 10 M | ||
| Turn right onto Staringplein | 426 M | ||
| Turn right onto De Wiltstraat | 12 M | ||
| Turn left onto Jacob Cremerstraat | 459 M | ||
| Continue onto Sonsbeeksingel | 35 M | ||
| You are now at section 69 | 0 M | ||
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From
69
to
54
|
232 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Willemsplein | 232 M | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M | ||
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From
54
to
36
|
446 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head east on Gele Rijders Plein | 373 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Roggestraat | 41 M | ||
| Turn right onto Velperplein | 32 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
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From
36
to
35
|
533 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southeast on Velperbinnensingel | 489 M | ||
| Turn left onto Airborneplein | 44 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
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From
35
to
36
|
533 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head northwest on Airborneplein | 44 M | ||
| Turn right onto Eusebiusbinnensingel | 489 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
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From
36
to
54
|
446 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head northwest on Velperplein | 32 M | ||
| Turn left onto Roggestraat | 41 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Looierstraat | 161 M | ||
| Continue onto Gele Rijders Plein | 212 M | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M | ||
|
From
54
to
36
|
446 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head east on Gele Rijders Plein | 373 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Roggestraat | 41 M | ||
| Turn right onto Velperplein | 32 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
|
From
36
to
35
|
533 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southeast on Velperbinnensingel | 489 M | ||
| Turn left onto Airborneplein | 44 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
|
From
35
to
36
|
533 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head northwest on Airborneplein | 44 M | ||
| Turn right onto Eusebiusbinnensingel | 489 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
|
From
36
to
54
|
446 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head northwest on Velperplein | 32 M | ||
| Turn left onto Roggestraat | 41 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Looierstraat | 161 M | ||
| Continue onto Gele Rijders Plein | 212 M | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M | ||
|
From
54
to
36
|
446 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head east on Gele Rijders Plein | 373 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Roggestraat | 41 M | ||
| Turn right onto Velperplein | 32 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
|
From
36
to
35
|
533 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southeast on Velperbinnensingel | 489 M | ||
| Turn left onto Airborneplein | 44 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
|
From
35
to
52
|
2962 M | 3 KM | |
| Head southwest on Airborneplein | 51 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Airborneplein | 85 M | ||
| Turn right onto Eusebiusbuitensingel | 190 M | ||
| Turn right onto Westervoortsedijk | 121 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Oranjewachtstraat | 64 M | ||
| Turn left onto Prinsenhof | 14 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oranjewachtstraat | 8 M | ||
| Turn left onto Kadestraat | 72 M | ||
| Turn right onto Rijnkade | 330 M | ||
| Keep right onto Rijnkade | 346 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Rijnkade | 8 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Rijnkade | 511 M | ||
| Turn right onto Boterdijk | 197 M | ||
| Turn right | 30 M | ||
| Turn left onto Onderlangs | 935 M | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
|
From
52
to
39
|
2731 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head west on Onderlangs | 19 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Utrechtseweg | 131 M | ||
| Turn left | 16 M | ||
| Turn left onto Utrechtseweg | 7 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hulkesteinseweg | 2.4 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Benedendorpsweg | 146 M | ||
| You are now at section 39 | 0 M | ||
|
From
39
to
38
|
1537 M | 1.5 KM | |
| Head north on Van Toulon van der Koogweg | 225 M | ||
| Turn left onto Geelkerkenkamp | 372 M | ||
| Turn right onto Fangmanweg | 62 M | ||
| Turn left onto De Dam | 111 M | ||
| Turn left onto Weverstraat | 29 M | ||
| Turn right onto Van Eeghenweg | 227 M | ||
| Turn right onto Pietersbergseweg | 511 M | ||
| You are now at section 38 | 0 M | ||
|
From
38
to
44
|
727 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head north on Pietersbergseweg | 727 M | ||
| You are now at section 44 | 0 M | ||
|
From
44
to
26
|
1430 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head southeast on Parallelweg | 646 M | ||
| Continue onto Driegemeentenpad | 784 M | ||
| You are now at section 26 | 0 M | ||
|
From
26
to
84
|
3443 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head north on Schelmseweg | 3.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 84 | 0 M | ||
|
From
84
to
58
|
948 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head northeast on Schelmseweg | 948 M | ||
| You are now at section 58 | 0 M | ||
|
From
58
to
47
|
1388 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head north on Hoeferlaan | 547 M | ||
| Turn right onto Cattepoelseweg | 841 M | ||
| You are now at section 47 | 0 M | ||
|
From
47
to
46
|
1268 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head west | 11 M | ||
| Turn right | 6 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 46 | 0 M | ||
|
From
46
to
4
|
1924 M | 1.9 KM | |
| Head north on Kemperbergerweg | 1.5 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 13 M | ||
| Continue onto Kemperbergerweg | 386 M | ||
| Continue straight | 26 M | ||
| Continue onto Koningsweg | 23 M | ||
| You are now at section 04 | 0 M |