After this meeting, the group in the church left in a silent journey to Park Hofrust. Several people had already come there for the commemoration. At 8 p.m., two minutes of silence were observed here to commemorate the dead. Mayor Huri Sahin and Deputy Mayor Armand van de Laar then laid a wreath at the monument, followed by the mayor’s speech.
In her speech, the mayor reflected on various stories of Rijswijk war victims. ‘It is important that we continue to tell the stories. To commemorate the dead. To learn from history and to work together to ensure that it does not happen again. But also so that we are and remain aware of the freedom we now have,” the mayor said. ‘It is precisely by reflecting on events that we give our current time extra meaning.’ Next year we will celebrate in the Netherlands that we have been free for 80 years. That freedom is not self-evident. ‘Freedom requires maintenance and awareness. It requires safeguarding our democracy. It requires solidarity, solidarity and looking out for others. We do not celebrate freedom alone, we do not maintain it alone, we do not have it alone. Only together are we free. That is why we stand together.’
The relatives of, among others, the brothers Piet, Pim and Nol Breebaart, for whom stumbling stones were recently laid, also laid a flower arrangement at the monument. Jilt Sietsma also laid a flower arrangement at the monument on behalf of the Oranjehotel. Several attendees then laid a flower or wreath. For example, military delegations were present to lay a wreath, as well as the Rijswijk Historical Association. The Children’s Rights Ambassadors laid bouquets at the monument and the Rainbow Youth from Welzijn Rijswijk laid a wreath for the victims within the LGBTIQ+ community. At the end of the commemoration, all those present were able to walk past the monument and drink coffee and tea in the Old Town Hall.
Read the mayor’s speech here, delivered during this Remembrance Day in Rijswijk.
