Editing Sint-Oedenrode (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Sint-Oedenrode}}

===World War II===

During the [[World War II]] Sint-Oedenrode suffered tremendously. In May 1940 the [[German Army (1935–1945)|German Army]] invaded the [[Low Countries]] and [[France]], and due to the retreat from the Peel-Raam Line by the Dutch Armed Forces skirmishes arose in Sint-Oedenrode in an attempt to keep the enemy at bay. After the capitulation (15 May 1940, in [[Zeeland]] 2 days later) Sint-Oedenrode found itself under [[Germany|German]] occupation. There was a small German [[Luftwaffe]] detachment of about 15 people providing a manned look-out (just like the [[Royal Observer Corps]]) for [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] planes which were undertaking operations against [[Volkel Air Base]] and [[Eindhoven]] (Air Base Welschap, now [[Eindhoven Airport]]).

During the final months of occupation, the mayor (appointed by [[Wilhelmina of the Netherlands|Queen Wilhelmina]]) was sacked and replaced by a pro-German mayor. The reasons for the sacking were that the central Distribution Office was plundered from blank distribution cards that were necessary to get coupons for males who were hiding from the ''Arbeitseinsatz'' (compulsory labour in the German war industry) and were using fake names. Also the mayor tried to sabotage the [[arbeitseinsatz]].

[[File:AirbornemonumentStOedenrode.jpg|thumb|left|Monument to the Dutch]]
With the beginning of [[Operation Market Garden]] in September 1944, Sint-Oedenrode found itself on an important location between the Allied landing zones in [[Son en Breugel|Son]] and [[Veghel]]. General [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Field Marshal [[Bernard Montgomery]] had the important task to keep the corridor (which ran through Sint-Oedenrode) open for the passage of the [[Great Britain|British]] [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]] to conquer [[Nijmegen]]. The [[101st Airborne Division|US 101st Airborne Division]] liberated the Town of Sint-Oedenrode (the 'Market' part) after para droppings in the fields in the vicinity. They were followed by the British XXX Army Corps (the 'Garden' part). For a brief time the 18th-century castle [[Henkenshage]] was used as allied HQ.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

The British left 150 comrades behind, the Americans 125.{{cn|date=September 2024}} Twenty-two British soldiers are buried at the General Cemetery in Sint-Oedenrode.{{cn|date=September 2024}} Most of the British are reburied at the [[Uden]] [[War grave|War Cemetery]] and some did find their final resting place in [[Mierlo]]. The Americans who were originally buried in Wolfswinkel ([[Son en Breugel]]) are reburied in [[Margraten]] or the [[US]].

On 16 September 1994 101st Airborne veterans revealed a war monument 'Monument for the Dutch'. The monument is a gift from the veterans to the civilians who fought alongside of the US troops, much to surprise and relief of the US soldiers. The inscription on the monument is in English and reads "Dedicated to the people of the Corridor by the veterans of the 101st Airborne Division, in grateful appreciation of their courage, compassion and friendship". The monument can be found alongside the road 'Corridor' which was constructed after the war between key points of the actual Corridor: the allied supply route from [[Eindhoven]] to [[Nijmegen]].

===Post-war era===

In the twentieth century mainly the growth of ''N.V. ODA Steel Works'' and ''Ovenbouw v/h H.J. van de Kamp'', later ''N.V. ODA Steel Furniture'' (now part of the multinational [[Royal Ahrend]]) created employment in Sint-Oedenrode.<ref>POLL, HARRY
Van dorpssmidse tot grootbedrijf. Gedenkboek N.V. Oda-Staalwerk v.h. H.J. van de Kamp St. Oedenrode. 1905-1955.</ref> 
Sint-Oedenrode is regularly erroneously referred to as rural municipality. 
As a former [[market town]] the urbanization had already begun at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. 
The excessive urbanization is evident from the fact that in 1930 already more than half of the population was not engaged in agriculture. 
After neighboring municipalities [[Schijndel]] and [[Veghel]], Sint-Oedenrode was at the time the third most industrialized town of eastern North-Brabant.
Around 1950 Sint-Oedenrode lost its third place to [[Uden]], which began to develop quickly after it was designated as a core congregation. 
In 1956 only 30% of the inhabitants of Sint-Oedenrode was involved in agriculture.