The castle has lain in ruins since the bombardment by the British RAF on 21 and 22 February 1945, during Operation Veritable.It was defended by only 15 Fallschirmjäger who held out against three separate assaults until it was bombed with nine 1,000 pound bombs. Their fierce determination to hold out was reflected by a slogan found in the castle's interior when it was taken. It reads "Sieg oder Sibirien" (Victory or Siberia). In 2009, the property was purchased by the Bleijenbeek Foundation, which intends to restore the remaining structure, moat, and surrounding gardens and provide public access after work is complete. Construction began in the summer of 2012.