National Remembrance Day in the Netherlands: Here’s all you need to know

National Remembrance Day in the Netherlands is dedicated to remembering those who lost their lives in World War II and other war situations or peacekeeping missions since.

Dodenherdenking is held on May 4 each year, when the Dutch commemorate soldiers and civilians who died in WWII and other wars (Japanese Occupation, Indonesian National Revolution) with a two-minute silence at 8 PM.

What does May 4 look like in the Netherlands?

A lot of Dutch people participate in the commemorations on National Remembrance Day.

Many observe the two-minute silence and find it important to do so. However, young people in particular want more attention to be paid to current wars and victims.

Apart from the silence, many people hoist their flags at half-mast from 6 PM until the sun sets.

While this signifies a mourning period, the flags are hoisted as usual the next day. On May 5, the Netherlands celebrates Liberation Day.

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Official memorial in Amsterdam

An official service is held at the National Monument in Amsterdam’s Dam Square. The King and Queen attend and deliver speeches as people lay wreaths and observe the two-minute silence.

Dam Square is where the first-ever commemoration took place in 1945.

During the two-minute silence, TV and radio stations broadcast the ceremony, public transport stops, and life in the Netherlands comes to a complete halt.

Why are there two separate celebrations on May 4 and May 5?

Well, there is a good reason for that. After WWII ended, some people deemed it inappropriate to both celebrate their liberation and mourn victims on the same day.

Since these events do not go hand in hand, it was decided that there should be a day dedicated to mourning and a separate day dedicated to celebrating freedom.

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Remembrance Day in the Netherlands: How can I get involved?

On May 4, commemorations are held all over the Netherlands.

Residents also organise a memorial at the war cemetery in Grebbeberg, Utrecht, and Waalsdorpervlakte, The Hague.

The latter is where many Dutch resistance fighters were executed during WWII.

In most cities, commemorations take place in either the city square or outside the city hall. People in small towns place flowers on gravestones and fly their flags at half-mast.

Do not worry if you are unable to attend a commemoration in person. Most people choose to pay tribute by holding their own two-minute silence.

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Sensitivity surrounding Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day in the Netherlands hasn’t been without controversy.

Every year, there’s usually some form of debate over whether the Dutch are mourning the correct victims, whether they should be mourning more victims, or whether they should be mourning at all.

These discussions range from opinions such as “Young people are too disconnected from their history” or “Why don’t we mourn the victims of ongoing wars?”

The discussion on whether Remembrance Day should be dedicated to the past as well as the present continues annually.

Some people also argue that Remembrance Day focuses too much on White victims and has little consideration for the other victims of the war.

However, the Netherlands does commemorate victims of the Dutch East Indies on August 15. It also has a separate day to remember victims of the Holocaust on the last Sunday of January.

How will you be paying your respects this year on National Remembrance Day in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below.

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