The Dutch High Command had a plan in place to evacuate Rhenen in the event of war. They were all too aware that a major battle might well take place on and around the Grebbeberg.

Between 11 and 13 May 1940, fierce fighting took place. In the space of three days, several hundred Dutch and German soldiers were killed. There were no casualties in the town itself, and residents had been evacuated during the Battle of the Grebbeberg, taken across the Lower Rhine to Krimpen aan de Lek on coal barges towed by tugboats.

After the Battle of the Grebbeberg, Rhenen lay largely in ruins, reconstruction began almost immediately. The town centre was redesigned and rebuilt in the style of the Delft School, which was quite traditional. This was not only for aesthetic reasons, but also for practical ones: building materials were sourced from the rubble itself.

By the end of 1942, the restoration work was virtually complete. Then disaster struck once more: in September 1944, the Battle of Arnhem took place. Operation Market Garden failed, the Allied advance came to a halt and the Rhine became the front line. The Allies were positioned south of the river and the German troops to the north. Rhenen and Ouwehands Zoo found themselves, just as in 1940, back on the front line.

For the second time, the residents of Rhenen had to be evacuated. The town came under heavy fire from the Allies, which is why most residents had to leave their homes in October. A few people were allowed to stay at Ouwehands Zoo to look after the animals left behind. In November, the Germans shot all the wild animals, as they were afraid they might escape.

On 16 February 1945, the zoo also had to be evacuated. The following day, a colourful procession set off for Veenendaal. Several animals escaped along the way. In Veenendaal, they were housed in the Panter cigar factory. The elephants and the hippopotamus that had been left behind were shot dead by the Germans. From Veenendaal, the animals were taken to Doorn in February, where they remained until May 1945. 

It was not until June 1945 that the residents of the badly damaged town of Rhenen were able to return to their homes. Almost all the empty houses had been looted. A large part of the southern part of the town centre lay in ruins, including the railway bridge over the Rhine and the Cunera Church, the town’s symbol. The year 1946 was therefore once again dominated by reconstruction.