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After the liberation of Sneek on 15 April, it took until 5 May for Germany to officially capitulate. On 17 May, the first German POWs walked through Sneek. They formed the vanguard, which had to make a camp just past Sneek. A camp where they and the countless comrades to follow could spend the night. The passage of Germans through Sneek lasted many days and was photographed by a Canadian soldier.
Eyewitness To Hofstra recounts on 17 May 1945:
"60,000 Germans from Holland are expected here. On foot via the Afsluitdijk, they will pass through Sneek in 4 groups of 15,000. The plan is for each group to stay here for three days, on a piece of land in the open plain, just past Sneek on the Leeuwarderweg (...)".
"Geertje, Jan and I have heard about it and curious as we are, we set off in the direction of Paviljoenweg to witness the arrival of the German POWs."
"It doesn't take long for them to arrive there. About a hundred men, all in uniform, but of course unarmed. Some Germans smile sourly. Others, on the other hand, press their lips together and look at us with an angered grimace. We say nothing. We don’t even laugh, we don’t have the guts to do that. After all, two months ago they were still in charge".
"(...) In a previously mowed piece of land, the Canadians put them to work. Belts and coats come off and: "an die Arbeit". Dig! The Canadians disperse and keep an eye on things Many Sneek residents lie down in the lush grass on Paviljoenweg and watch with a smile. The view is now doubly clean. We think these Germans are the quartermasters of the big group that is yet to come."
A Canadian soldier and a Sneek resident photograph the retreat of the Germans through Sneek.