Remembrance and Liberation Day: May 4 and 5, 2004-2022

[Durham]

Thank you for posting this. Very sombre.

I remember reading a book about Audrey Hepburn & her experiences as a girl during the occupation & the hungry winter of 1944/1945.

The comments by the king are interesting.

[An Ard Ri]

The almost empty Dam Square was very much a striking image.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Thank you for bringing that interesting comment to attention and explaining its meaning (and Marengo's explanation of the similar comments in the thread for the Indonesia state visit was very helpful as well). So in your judgment, the initiative for these groundbreaking statements began with the king rather than the government?

The King and the Prime Minister not only share the same age, they are both Historians as well and have family closely linked to WWII.

The father of the King was enforced into the Wehrmacht and sent to Italy to resist the second invasion of the Allied Powers in Western Europe. On his tenth the young Claus was enlisted in the Foreign Hitlerjugend (he lived with his parents at the colonial plantation in East-Africa). He was - in the best aristocrat tradition- sent to a boarding school: the Baltenschule in Misdroy (Vorpommern). Claus was enlisted into the Luftabwehr (Air Defence), then in the Reichsarbeitsdienst (compulsory auxiliary service) before the Fahnenjunker (Officer Aspirant) Claus von Amsberg was enlisted in the Totenkopf Panzer Division, was one of the 145.000 Germans made Prisoner of War at the Italian Front.

The father of the Prime Minister was a banker in Batavia (now Jakarta), was Reserve Lieutenant, was mobilised in 1941. When Japan invaded the Netherlands East-Indies, Lieutenant Rutte was made Prisoner of War in 1942. His wife and three children were captured in a concentration camp. In 1945 his wife died in the camp. She is still buried at the Netherlands Cemetery in Bandung, Indonesia.

Lieutenant Rutte returned to the Netherlands. He married the younger sister of his late wife. From this second marriage, his son Mark Rutte was born in 1967. The same year as Willem-Alexander was born.

Therr is a chemistry between King and Prime Minister, which translates in a totally relaxed but respectful relationship between the two.

Picture: the King signs a Royal Decree, the Prime Minister waits for his contresigné.
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/binari...ekening-kb.jpg

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Thank you for bringing that interesting comment to attention and explaining its meaning (and Marengo's explanation of the similar comments in the thread for the Indonesia state visit was very helpful as well). So in your judgment, the initiative for these groundbreaking statements began with the king rather than the government?

For this mention of 'his great-grandmother' today at the Dam, I am quite sure it was the king himself. I cannot imagine the government making this suggestion; apparently, the king recently spoke to several survivors in Israel (during his visit to commemorate the Holocaust) who (again) shared their pain of not being recognized by queen Wilhelmina. So, that might have contributed to his decision to open up today (next to it being 75 years and the first time he was given this opportunity at this significant day of the year).

For the apologies in Indonesia it could have been either; the government surely knew that (former) queen Beatrix wanted to publicly apologize but wasn't permitted at that time; so either party could have brought that up in preparations for the state visit.

[SLV]

The Remembrance on the fourth of May is impressive every year, but even more so this year. To see Dam-square nearly completely empty is unique and so terribly sad.
The survivors of the war deserved this 75th aniversary and now they haven't gotten it.
The Kings speech was excellent. It really sticked with me.

[iceflower]

Princess Margriet visited the photo exhibition "The Faces of Groesbeek" at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek this afternoon, May 3:


** ppe gallery **

[eya]

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima arrive at the Palace on Dam Square for the National Remembrance Day.

https://www.anpfoto.nl//search.pp?eventid=6027613

https://www.rexfeatures.com/set/11888928

Short Video

https://twitter.com/i/status/1389615718212194306

Princess Margriet, Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven and Prince Pieter-Christiaan attend the National Military Remembrance Day at the Grebbeberg Military Field of Honor in Rhenen. Professional soldiers and conscripts are commemorated during this commemoration

https://mobile.twitter.com/koninklij...870789/photo/2

https://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=6027616

LIVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXgfRxXaeEs

[An Ard Ri]

Its always such a dignified and solemn event.

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by iceflower

Princess Margriet visited the photo exhibition "The Faces of Groesbeek" at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek this afternoon, May 3:


** ppe gallery **

Everything she does with/for Canada always makes me want to cry a little bit.

[iceflower]

Here are some more photos of today’s ceremony itself:


** ppe gallery ** anp gallery ** rex gallery ** gettyimages gallery **

[Somebody]

Very well executed. I really liked how children or grandchildren of those who were there to lay a wreath (because of Covid it was done by Sea Cadets and Scouts) explained a little bit about who they were and how they were related to the group that the wreath represented. Also, the nod from the queen to all of them at the end (and at times in between) was good to see; very important recognition.

And the king, prime minister and chair of the first chamber (senate) must be rather cold; 10 degrees and only wearing your suit... At least the ladies wore an overcoat. It would have made sense if they had done so as well.

[Marengo]

It was well done indeed though I am looking forward to seeing the Dam square packed with people again.

I believe it was the last year for Gerdi Verbeet, the chair of the 4-5 may comittee. A pity to see her go.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Marengo

It was well done indeed though I am looking forward to seeing the Dam square packed with people again.

Yes I was also thinking the same myself.

[SLV]

The two-minute-silence is more impressive with a full Dam-square.
I watched the Remembrance with my two girls for the second year now. They are 8 and 10. They are fascinated with the short stories that are told each year.
André van Duins speech was very good.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Marengo

It was well done indeed though I am looking forward to seeing the Dam square packed with people again.

I believe it was the last year for Gerdi Verbeet, the chair of the 4-5 may comittee. A pity to see her go.

I hope for the first too,allthough an empty Dam Square was just as impressive to me I must say.

Yes,very sorry to see Gerdi Verbeet go.I hope mr Veen will be appointed now.

[iceflower]

Princess Margriet attended a commemoration at the National Merchant Marine Monument 'De Boeg' in Rotterdam this morning, May 4:


** Pic ** gtresnews gallery ** rex gallery ** tt.se gallery ** anp gallery **


Later today Princess Margriet, Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven and Prince Pieter-Christiaan attended the National Military Remembrance Day at the Grebbeberg Military Field of Honor in Rhenen:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** rex gallery ** anp gallery ** legion media gallery **


And King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the ceremony at Dam Square:


** ppe gallery ** legion media gallery **

[eya]

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima arrive at the Palace on Dam Square for the National Remembrance Day

https://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=6181641

https://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=6184960

https://www.rexfeatures.com/set/12924324

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTQ0TYi5_CE

[An Ard Ri]

When will the Princess of Orange start attending?

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

When will the Princess of Orange start attending?

Her father was a stand-in for the ill Prince Claus in1985 and the years after. The situations are not comparable as Queen Máxima was there.

The National Remembrance on Dam Square finds place since 1961. Also then it were only the Queen and the Prince.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

When will the Princess of Orange start attending?

If,then after her first official attendance of Prinsjesdag this year.I hope.


And,next year,together with her sister Alexia who will turn 18 in june next year....Prinsjesdag I mean