Eighty years ago, the Netherlands was liberated by the Allied forces. In 2025, the country celebrates and commemorates its liberation and the freedom it has enjoyed since the end of World War II.

For Groninger Kerken, this is reason to dedicate an exhibition in the Akerk to 80 years of freedom. The exhibition weaves together intimate, human stories with broader themes such as freedom, resistance, and oppression. The Akerk plays a central role due to its compelling wartime history: from hiding English airmen and hosting German church services to the resistance story of the church’s custodian couple. Located next to what was once the Jewish quarter, the church remains a tangible site where the traces of the past are still visible.

Curator Martin Hillenga, known for the book 40/45, assembled the exhibition. The exhibition design gives shelter—inside the Akerk—to a shattered skyline of Groningen. Hidden within these ruins are original objects from the 1940–1945 period. As visitors walk through the Akerk, the Second World War in and around this church comes vividly to life. War, up close.

Photography: Sake Elzinga
Commissioned by: Groninger Kerken, Akerk
Concept and curation: Martin Hillenga, Paul&Albert
Image research and texts: Martin Hillenga
Spatial design: Paul&Albert
Graphic design: Thansk
Project management: Marius Breukink
Interior construction: Lawand Zaza and Ra'fat Ali
Audio tour design and app: Tapart
Sound design: Jelmer Althuis
Film and animation: Koen Leerink, Bonfire Film