“During the National Commemoration on May 4th, we commemorate all – civilians and military – in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or anywhere in the world who were killed or murdered since the outbreak of the Second World War, in wartime and in peacekeeping operations.”
On May 4 at 20:00, the National Remembrance takes place. Two minutes of silence are held to commemorate the Dutch war victims. The support for the National Memorial is undiminished. Figures from the National Freedom Research shows that 85% of the Dutch think it is still important to be quiet for two minutes on May 4. And in 96% of Dutch municipalities on May 4, a memorial is organized.
The National Memorial consists of two parts: the private memorial gathering at the Nieuwe Kerk [New Church] and the commemoration ceremony at the National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam.
The Tattoo signal is the music that heralds the annual two-minute silence in commemoration. It is played by a trumpet or horn blower. Sometimes the Tattoo signal is confused with the British Last Post. This is not surprising; the pieces are very similar. Reportedly, the signal was already blown during the time of Prince Maurits [early 17th century].
The difference between the Dutch and the Americans – it’s National Star Wars day here. EXPLAINS a lot!
It was nice to see the Dutch Royalty.