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Remembrance
Today, May 4, the Dutch will commemorate the victims of WW II. It is the day before the official liberation of the Netherlands (May fifth) and for years this day has been a day of remembrance. Tonight at 8 PM people all over the country will hold two minutes of silence to rethink what happened over half a century ago.
As a child, I used to hate this day. Playing in the local wind orchestra I had to play on this evening every year. The commemoration took place at the local monument somewhere at the outskirts of our little village. All I can remember is that it was always cold and playing with numb fingers was no fun. As a child I didn't know what it was all about. My grandfathers, who were the only relatives that lived during the war and were still alive when I was born, both died when I was very young. Therefore I was never able to ask them questions about what it was like, having to deal with a war. Now, growing older, I've got so much questions I want to ask them. I really miss that piece of historical knowledge from my own family.
During the years I've grown to love this day. It is so important that people give it a moment's thought about what is going on in the world. Young people need to realize that they are lucky they can live in freedom. At the same time there are so many people that still suffer from war, whether the war is already in the past or whether their country is still at war.
Tonight I will remember that people have fought and lost their lives to preserve the country I grew up in. I will think of all the suffering in the world due to wars, that mostly make no sense to me. At the same time I will celebrate that I'm luckily living in a free country, and hope I'll never be caught up in war.
Yes, quite right. I grew up with a Dutch mother and English father who met at the end of WW2. My father, as an 18 year old, was involved in clearing up operations in Terneuzen and was invited to a Dutch family to stay. He met my mother and they married a few years later.... my only regret is that I was brought up in the UK rather than NL. I think the Dutch understand more about war than the Brits..being occupied was terrible for my mother's family
Posted by: Pieter at October 12, 2004 11:07 PM
