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Started By
Message
Dutch "adopt" WWII dead in war cemetery - pay tribute every year
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:23 am
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:23 am
About six miles from Maastricht, in the Netherlands lie buried 8,301 American soldiers who died in "Operation Market Garden" in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944-5. Every one of the men buried in the cemetery, as well as those in the Canadian and British military cemeteries has been adopted by a Dutch family who mind the grave, decorate, and keep alive the memory of the soldier they have adopted. It is even the custom to keep a portrait of "their" American soldier in a place of honor in their home. Annually on "Liberation Day" Memorial Services are held for "the men who died to liberate Holland." The day concludes with a concert. The final piece is always”IL Silenzio", a memorial piece commissioned by the Dutch and first played in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of Holland's liberation. It has been the concluding piece of the memorial concert ever since.
A few years ago, the soloist was a 13 year old Dutch girl, Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and his orchestra (the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands). This beautiful concert piece is based upon the original version of taps and was composed by Italian composer Nino Rossi.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:28 am to tigerpawl
Dusty in here all of a sudden..
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:31 am to tigerpawl
Wait, how did you embedded that video?
That's back?
That's back?
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:31 am to Jim Rockford
This plus Saving Private Ryan
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:46 am to tigerpawl
Simply awesome. Americans who died on foreign soil during the WWII seem to continue to be revered there as the liberators they were.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:52 am to tigerpawl
my brother in law is from the Netherlands. he told me its a pretty big deal over there. The real Band of Brothers visited his home town a few years ago and they were treated like celebrities. People crowded the streets just to shake their hand. They stopped at a cafe and signed autographs
This post was edited on 5/25/15 at 11:56 am
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:55 am to tigerpawl
My pops (an Airborne vet from the Pacific Theater of WWII) went there in the mid 1980s. The Dutch folks there made him feel like a rock star and a hero even though he fought a half a planet away from their soil.
Thanks for the rememberance.
Thanks for the rememberance.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:58 am to hg
quote:
Wait, how did you embedded that video?
That's back?
I don't think it's embedded. Looks like a link posted as a image. It still brings me to the YouTube app on my phone. If it was embedded it would play on this page. I think.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 12:02 pm to tigerpawl
Wow, that's awesome. It's great to see the people who our GI's liberated from the nightmare of the Nazis still remember and honor the sacrifices made for their freedom. We could learn a lesson from them is this regard.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 12:36 pm to tigerpawl
Just when you think the Dutch can't get any classier.
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