Over the centuries the hill has been militarily significant, this historical background in more recent times having given rise to issues of sovereignty between Germany and
The Netherlands.
Military history from Middle Ages to Second World War In the Middle Ages
Mergelp Castle stood on the hill. In September 1944 airborne troops of the U.S.
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment fought to capture the Duivelsberg, "Hill 75.9", during
Operation Market Garden.
Annexation issues Until 1949, the hill was part of the nearby German village of Wyler in the municipality of
Kranenburg. Duivelsberg's German name, Wylerberg, is derived from the name of this village. With the notable support of Dutch politician Frits Bakker Schut, Duivelsberg was one of the many small areas the Netherlands
annexed from Germany on 23 April 1949. Unlike the other areas, Duivelsberg was not returned to the German authorities on 1 August 1963 and remained Dutch territory. During the negotiations with Germany, the politician
Marinus van der Goes van Naters, who also lived in nearby
Nijmegen, where he was born, successfully urged for the nature reserve to be kept Dutch.
Ownership and conservation The Duivelsberg was inherited in 1906 by Marie Schuster-Hiby, who, between 1921 and 1924, built an expressionist villa designed by the German architect
Otto Bartning. In 1965, the Schuster-Hiby family sold the villa to the Dutch state. Since 1985, the
Huis Wylerberg has been a nationally-protected building in which conservation organisations are located. Haus wylerberg.JPG|Huis Wylerberg Beek-Ubbergen-Duivelsberg (2).JPG|Castle Hill Beek-Ubbergen-Duivelsberg (4).JPG|View from the hilltop with Germany in background ==See also==