Bevrijdingsmuseum Maastricht (The Liberation Museum Maastricht) is run entirely by volunteers. Every week they come together to work on the realisation of the museum and the restoration of the Allied vehicles from the Second World War. One of these volunteers is Dave. "It's basically a big men's playground!"

"A few years ago, I worked opposite the shed where the museum is being built. One day I was working at the counter. Usually customers arrive by car, but this time a tall curly-haired man walked up, who turned out to be Pierre Rieu. He had a technical request for help and we got talking, which is how I found out what Pierre was creating. During the break I went to have a look and I was immediately sold!"

Dave beams when he thinks back to that time, sometime in 2016. "It's a beautiful place full of projects where my passion for welding was very welcome. I dropped in a few times, helped out a bit and we've come a long way!"

Restoring a jeep with your son

"One particular project was a jeep that we took apart and refurbished all its parts. My son Brian was also training to be a welder at the time and I asked him to come along once. He too was immediately enthusiastic and so we worked with a group on the jeep."

From a small group to 35 people

"In my work as a representative over the past few years, I visited many places and regularly talked about my hobby. That's how I've been able to share my enthusiasm with other men. And now many of my acquaintances are active in this club. There are now about 35 of us. Everyone has their own story, their own background. From pilot to doctor, from welder to pensioner: everyone can and may be themselves here."

Keep telling the story

Dave truly believes that the Bevrijdingsmuseum will soon be a valuable place.  "Let's face it: everyone hates war, everyone is fiercely against it. But we also all want to pass on a story to all generations. It's great that together we can contribute to Pierre's dream, which started in his head and is now becoming a reality, step by step."

Recharge while you create

Dave likes to come to the shed every Wednesday, when he can really recharge his batteries. "The atmosphere here is incredibly relaxed. We give each other everything and it's all about having fun and creating together." Dave teaches the other men - if they want to - how to weld.  

Learning from each other

In the meantime, Dave has inspired a lot of men to weld and is teaching others to do the same. They are creating more and more things together, like the classic lamps you will soon see in the museum: we designed and made them ourselves. The materials come from all over. "We are very happy to receive donations to make the museum a reality. This can be in money, but certainly also in materials. Are you rebuilding your house and do you have old doors or window frames left over? Don't throw them away, but give them to us. Especially if they are from the 1930s."

The icing on the cake

Dave's enthusiasm is contagious, sparkling as he talks about why he loves being here. "The icing on the cake is when we actually get to go out with a vehicle. That usually happens spontaneously, really cool!" When asked what's left to do once the museum is finished, Dave laughingly replies, "I want to turn 180, there's so much left to do. The work is never finished and that's what makes it so much fun!"

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