May 4: remembrance day
May 5: freedom day.
I remember
And I've learned from thepast
that war is no solution.
And I stand up
for freedom
for each and every citizen
of my country
and of the world.
In The Netherlands we have a logical but unique combination of days: may 4 and 5: remembrance day and freedom day.
At may 4 life comes to a halt at 20.00 hours for two minutes to remember all those who died during WW2, during the occupation bij Japan of the Dutch Indies, those who died on peace missions.
All over the country during day and evening memorial services are held.
Many veterans come to our country to visit the graves of their warcompanions.
The national service which is broadcasted on TV is held at The Dam in Amsterdam in presence of the queen and the crownprince and his wife, and many veterans.
To keep the real message of this day alive the winner of a national poetry competition about may 4 reads the winning poem.
This year (2005) for the first time two (canadian) veterans took active part in the wreath laying.
Many official delegations pay honor to the death by laying a wreath.
Another nationally boradcasted ceremonial takes place at the Waalsdorpervlakte near The Hague.
At the Waalsdorpervlakte between the dunes the Germans created in WWII a place to shoot more than 250 people.
One of the people of the resistance: Bernardus IJzerdraad was shot at march 13 1945.
With him 14 men from the resistancegroup: De Geuzen, and 3 people who took part in the februaristrikes.
The poet Remco Campert wrote a poem: the Song of the 18 Deaths.
My grandmother taught me the poem that told about these people waiting for their death in the deathcell.
At march 8 1945 28 people were executed there as a consequence of a coincidence.
Two days before Höhere SS- und polizeiführer' Rauter ended up fighting with a group from the resistance on the Veluwe near De Woeste Hoeve.
They meant to capture a meattransport for the german army, but they hit on Rauter and his men.
The "Rauter disaster" lead to excecutions all over the country.
At the same day 117 people were shot near De Woeste Hoeve and 28 men at the Waalsdorpervlakte.
One single cross marks the place were so many people were killed.
At the same place where all these people waited for their death
Antons Mussert, leader of the NSB, was held prison from may 1945 untill may 7 1946.
He was excecuted in the early morning.
The monument in remembrance of the war victims lies before the dune behind which most victims were shot.
It's a simple wall with the inscription: 1940-1945.
At the left a little stone with the text:
At this place many fellow countrymen sacrificed their lives for your freedom.
Enter this place with respect."
Behind the wall four crosses.
The original wooden crosses van be seen in the Fresian Museum of resistance in Leeuwarden.
They were brought there in 1981 when they were replaced by bronce crosses.
An important part of the remembrance service is played by the large bell.
At April 30 1959 the inhabitants of The hague gave the bell as a gift of gratefullness to the councill.
The Bourdonklok, as it is called, is situated behind the crosses.
It has an inscription of prof. mr. R.P. Cleveringa:
I sound in honor and following those who gave their lives to prevent injustice,
to gain freedom and to protect all Dutch spiritual wellbeing.
The bell sounds at the remembranceservice of may 4 while endless rowns of people walk past the monument.
In my town amongst others, is a little memorial at the place where at the begiining of the war a nice school hosted many young children.
The school was bombed and many children were killed with their teachers, and others were traumatised for the rest of their lives.
Some years ago, under the tree, a swing was made in remembrance of the little ones and their teachers.
Here too a memorialservice was held this year.
Interesting is that both old and young people want to keep may 4th as a special day of remembrance to signal loud and clearly: no war!
