Commemoration on May 4, 2023

First, as members of the Committee to Commemorate and Celebrate with the Veterans, we laid flowers at the graves of allied soldiers and resistance fighters. This happened at the Groene Kerkje, the Roman Catholic cemetery at the St. Wilibrordkerk and the Halifax monument in Haaswijk.

A memorial service was held at 6 p.m. in Het Dorpscentrum (the Village Center). We thought about all the war victims who lost their lives as a result of WWII to liberate us. The names of allied casualties, resistance fighters and Jewish victims were read out.
The speaker during this commemoration was Inez Schelfhout from ARQ Centrum 45 in Oegstgeest. In her lecture she discussed the consequences of war violence from generation to generation. The choir Via Regalis sang “Abide with me” and other songs that matched the content and atmosphere of the meeting. Rosalie Kepinski recited her self-written poem De Sterren (The Stars).

At 19:45 in Bos van Wijckerslooth, we commemorated the Dutch war victims: civilians and soldiers, who have given their lives for freedom in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and anywhere in the world since the outbreak of the Second World War and afterwards in war situations and peace operations. datum.
The scouting group Shawano’s provided the honorary colouloir and the music was performed by Franciscusband Leiden.
The speaker at the National Remembrance Day was Minister Karien van Gennip. In her reflection on “Living with War”, she pointed out that freedom is not self-evident, but is under pressure. For us, who are allowed to live in peace, there is that question every day: what is “no more war” worth to us? What is our freedom worth to us? Because freedom is not self-evident. And peace is so much more than the absence of war.
Lizz Hartman was the author of the poem Fluisteringen (Whispers) and her cousin Thomas Hartman recited it.

After two minutes of silence, the Wilhelmus and the laying of wreaths and flowers, the well-attended meeting was closed. The commemoration ended with a walk-in in Het Dorpscentrum (the Village Center) with an opportunity to meet each other.