Remembrance and Liberation Day; May 4th and 5th, 2012

[lucien]

Today,May 4th:Remembrance of the Dead.

The Netherlands observes the Remembrance of the Dead of WW II,both military and civilians,and of all conflicts and missions after.

HM The Queen and TRH the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima will attend a remembrance ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk,Amsterdam this evening followed by the wreathlaying at the National Munument by HM and the Prince.At 20.00PM two minutes silence will be observed nationwide.

The Dead of WW II are remembered at every town,city,village or hamlet,former fusillade sites ao.

Remembrance ceremonies the previous years:

ANP Foto

Each year come this time The Netherlands also welcomes hundreds,and maybe a bit less now as happens each year,Veterans from the UK,Canada and the US.We hold them in very very high esteem!!Always!!And they are and have become more then our Liberators,they've become part of many families and a country full of friends.A well deserved warm bath for the very very brave.

The British Veterans have arrived by ferry in a string of London cabbies,bloody marvellous I'd say!!!!!Love that!The oldest one being 94 now.

I'm sure HM won't mind when I post their arrival in Hoek of Holland here:

ANP Foto


At the Nieuwe Kerk,Amsterdam,the Requiem for Auswitsch was performed for the first time,to remember all the victims of the nazi's.

ANP Foto

Tomorrow may 5th,Liberation Day:

HE President Gauck of Germany will hold the 5th of May Lecture in the presence of HRH The Prince of Orange.

In the evening HM The Queen,HE President Gauck of Germany as well as the Dutch PM Mark Rutte will attend the traditional concert on the Amstel river here in Amsterdam to conclude the Liberation Day festivities.

[Fanvanmaxima]

Today:

Fan van Máxima » Dodenherdenking 2012

Google Vertaling

[lucien]

National Remembrance ceremony at the National Monument,Dam Square,Amsterdam tonight:

ANP Foto

courtesy anp

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?z...12%20Amsterdam

Courtesy PPE

[iceflower]

.

Princess Margriet, Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven and Prince Pieter-Christiaan at a wreath-laying ceremony in Rhenen today:



** ppe gallery **

[lucien]

HE President Joachim Gauck of Germany held the May 5th Lecture in the Grote Kerk,Breda
this morning in the presence of HRH The Prince of Orange.

ANP Foto

courtesy ANP

[lucien]

Concert on the Amstel River LIVE NOW!

NOS Nieuws - Livestream


HM The Queen and HE President Gauck of Germany are in attendance,watch them,it's marvellous!

[Artemisia]

Thanks a lot for the link, lucien!
I'm watching the concert right now and absolutely LOVE the music that was playing a couple of minutes ago. And of course, the one that's on right now is easily recognisable in any every part of the world (one of my favourite iconic songs from World War II). The setting is just absolutely beautiful; would have loved to be there.

A couple of pictures of Dutch royal arriving for the concert:
- Queen Beatrix, President Joachim Gauck, and Joan Leemhuis-Stout arriving for the concert
- Queen Beatrix, German President Joachim Gauck, and Joan Leemhuis-Stout, chairman of the National Liberation Day Committee

Gallery from Daylife
Gallery from Belga
Gallery from ANP

[An Ard Ri]

Wonderful photos!

[iceflower]

.

Here are some more pics of yesterday's ceremony:



** dpp: National commemoration day 2012 **

[lucien]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Wonderful photos!

PPE Agency

courtesy ppe..

http://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=1019107

courtesy anp

HM was absolutely beaming as tens of thousands cheered her and sang for her,it was beautifull!!She must have felt again how much she is truly loved and respected.And how welcome President Gauck was.Wonderfull!

....

[Artemisia]

I agree, the genuine display of affection was really heart-warming. At the very end of the life footage, when the Queen was on the boat, you could see thousands of people cheering on her. Queen Beatrix is really a very special woman and an absolutely brilliant Monarch/Head of State.

[TLLK]

I'm very impressed by this solemn ceremony that is held each year in Amsterdam. What a wonderful gesture to have the WWII Veterans arrive each year to be thanked.

[Fanvanmaxima]

Love this picture: http://www.uploadplaatjes.nl/img1/20120506/565213.jpg

[Hendrik-Jan77]

Originally Posted by Fanvanmaxima

Love this picture: http://www.uploadplaatjes.nl/img1/20120506/565213.jpg

Yes, that is such a moving picture of Her Majesty!
I have seen several pictures of the Queen with tears in her eyes last night.
She has attended the 5 Mei Concert for years and every year she leaves in a boat while the orchestra is playing 'We'll Meet Again'.
This year she was clearly very moved. I think there must have been many thoughts going through her head this time.
While hearing the song, she must have thought about Friso, she must have felt the outpouring of public support and maybe she already knows that this is the last time she is attending the 5 Mei Concert as Queen...
Watching her last night I couldn't shake that feeling too...

[NGalitzine]

Is there any video of the May 4th Remembrance ceremony?

[COUNTESS]

Originally Posted by Hendrik-Jan77

Yes, that is such a moving picture of Her Majesty!
I have seen several pictures of the Queen with tears in her eyes last night.
She has attended the 5 Mei Concert for years and every year she leaves in a boat while the orchestra is playing 'We'll Meet Again'.
This year she was clearly very moved. I think there must have been many thoughts going through her head this time.
While hearing the song, she must have thought about Friso, she must have felt the outpouring of public support and maybe she already knows that this is the last time she is attending the 5 Mei Concert as Queen...
Watching her last night I couldn't shake that feeling too...

Why? She hasn't indicated she will abidicate. Yes, the sadness about her son, but....

[Hendrik-Jan77]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

Why? She hasn't indicated she will abidicate. Yes, the sadness about her son, but....

You are right, there is no indication for that. It is just a feeling I have, nothing more, nothing less.
I was just wondering if the situation of Prince Friso was the only thing that made her so emotional.
She almost never lets her guard down like that.

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

Is there any video of the May 4th Remembrance ceremony?

There is a short video about the concert on YouTube:

NNO verzorgt 5 mei concert aan de Amstel - YouTube

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

Is there any video of the May 4th Remembrance ceremony?

A clip of the remembrance ceremony on 4 May 2012 (31 minutes, the royals come after 4 minutes):

Dodenherdenking Dam Amsterdam 04-05-2012.wmv - YouTube

The lady next to HM is the chairwoman of the comitee 4 and 5 May.

Before the remembrance there was a meeting in the New Church (next to the palace), which was controversial as a 15 y/o boy was selected to read a poem about his great uncle, who was a member of the SS. The poem was withdrawn due to criticism from survivors.

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Like Hendrik-Jan, it indeed felt almost as if the Queen was waving goodbye to her reign. But indeed, that is speculation and I am sure she has other things on her mind right now than preparing for all that.

The entire concert, HM is waving goodbye after 1h 29m:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA-zV...feature=relmfu

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Very nice that president Gauck and his partner attended the concert too. He seems sympathetic and had quite a royal week(s), meeting the Swedish & Luxembourg reigning couple, as well as queen Beatrix (twice!).

[marine2109]

The Dutch Royal Family attend a ceremony to commemorate 'Liberation Day' in Dam Square
Amsterdam, Netherlands - 04.05.12

WENN Photo Library - Search Results