Commemorating and celebrating the end of WW2 in The Netherlands: 75 years of freedom

[Hanno Spoelstra]

May 4th is our national commemoration of Remembrance Day. On that day the Netherlands commemorates its victims of war.

On 5 May, the Netherlands celebrates the day it was liberated.

This 75th anniversary year is completely different from the previous ones, for obvious reasons.


Yesterday must have been the most exeptional Remembrance Day since 1945. Our King and Queen, the Prime Minister, the Mayor of Amsterdam and the President The National Committee for 4 and 5 May were the only dignitaries present in Amsterdam to lay wreaths at our National Monument. In other years, the Dam square and the streets would be lined with tens of thousands of people.

Still, there was a full ceremony to pay our respects to those we commemorate, and the King held a speech (which was a first at this commemoration).


Source: https://www.4en5mei.nl/english


I leave you with some figures to make you think ...

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Hanno

On 2 May 2020, there was to be a flag raising, parade, tour and meeting of Dutch Canadians in the town of Sussex, New Brunswick. The raising of the flag for Tynaarlo Municipality flag along with the Camp Flag of the 8th Canadian Hussars would have been the fifth time this occasion was marked since agreements were reach with each in 2015. The basis for this agreement was that Sussex was the "home" of the 8th New Brunswick Hussars from the Second World War and Tynaarlo represents the town of Eelde, where the Hussars found themselves for a prolonged stay at the end of hostilities. This agreement was of a Municipal nature and not anything the Regiment initiated. Of course the Regiment provides assistance to it all.

Although the 5th of May was the agreed date between towns, planning began for the Sussex event this year around the 2nd as it was a Saturday and that was better for many parties. For a few days there last year, we thought that perhaps your Monarchs would be coming on their way to Ottawa for the 5th. Eventually the Military Attache from your Embassy in Ottawa was to come. That has happened in previous years.

Well, that all was shuttered and cancelled due to CCP virus so in the end, on the 2nd, the CO and I along with one Town Council member, observing distance requirements, raised both flags. They'll fly for week. I don't have a pic at the moment but Tynaarlo sent us pics of their 13 April Local Liberation Day and theirs flag poles.... on the 5th.

regards
Darrell

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Darrell,

Thanks for raising the flag and letting us know about what happens in Canada on this date.

[Ed Storey]

While I type this it is snowing here in Ottawa today as we are under a polar vortex. My friends at After the Battle Magazine sent me this youtube video which I thought I would share with this forum.

https://youtu.be/qz0tOxb8tdE

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Hanno

Please find below some pics we took and have shared with Tynaarlo of the small ceremony on 2 May 2020 in Sussex, NB.The town Rep, RSM and CO 8CH keeping apart, the RSM struggling with bl**dy metres of yellow plastic chain and the flags in front of Town Hall.

Turns out that the randon dog-walker person observing was a Cold War Hussar. Not sure of the dog's name.

regards
Darrell