Remembrance Day commemorated in Amsterdam   

By The Holland Times Tuesday 04 May 2010, 11:05

The Netherlands today commemorates the country's victims of war. From the capital, Queen Beatrix will lead the annual tradition of two minutes of silence at 20.00.

The Netherlands has nearly 3,000 war memorials where people can commemorate the war dead including those from World War II, subsequent wars and peacekeeping missions. 

National Rememberance Day in Amsterdam is celebrated this year with two parts. First, a private ceremony is held in the Nieuwe Kerk. At the event, K. Schippers will give his yearly lecture, called the Advent of Jazz. Schippers was born in Amsterdam during the liberation of the second world war.

Accompanying music in the Nieuw Kerk will be from Ivan Fischer. He has composed two pieces for the celebration, both based on Yiddish poems and performed by the National Youth Choir.

Queen Beatrix, Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima will afterwards lay a wreath of flowers at Amsterdam's National Monument. Luc Stefelmanns, a 16-year-old from Limburg will read a poem.

Outgoing Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende will also be present. He will make a speech in the Dam on this year's 65th anniversary of the end of WWII.

A study from the National Committee in April reveals that 80 percent of Dutch people find it important to commemorate the war and liberation.