By order of the German occupiers, everyone in Gendt had to leave house and home on 9 October 1944. The residents, mostly residing in air-raid shelters, began a dangerous flight via the Pannerden ferry to unknown occupied territory.

Abandoned Gendt became part of the 'No Man's Land', an empty area between the German and Allied lines. It was not until 2 April 1945 that the Allies launched Operation Destroyer, the cleansing of the eastern part of the Over-Betuwe. From June 1945, evacuees could finally return to their badly destroyed and often uninhabitable homes. Churches had also been turned into ruins.

An information panel here recalls this difficult period.