Trains on hold and two minutes silence as Netherlands commemorates the death – Yahoo! News

Today is the National Memorial Day. At 20:00 will be held throughout the country for two minutes of silence. How will the day look like? Four questions.

1. What we commemorate today?
During the commemoration, all civilians and soldiers commemorated those killed since the outbreak of the Second World War and in peacekeeping operations. Initially, only the Dutch victims commemorated in the Second World War, but since 1961 officially used a broader definition.

The official memoir reads:

During National Memorial, we commemorate all – civilians and military – in the Kingdom the Netherlands or anywhere in the world have died or been killed since the outbreak of the Second World War, in war and in peacekeeping operations.

2. There are nationwide commemorations?

Yes, research by the Committee May 4 and 5 show that will be held in 98 percent of Dutch municipalities commemorations. The organization is often in the hands of local 4th and 5th committees or councils themselves. An overview:

• In the National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam is at 20:00 the national commemoration, organized by the Committee 4 and 5th. At the commemoration, an average of 20,000 people off. Millions follow the memorial on television. The king and queen will lay a wreath at the monument. Prime Minister Mark Rutte will speak after the two-minute silence.
• The Waalsdorpervlakte is a dune area near The Hague. During World War II, more than 250 people slain by the Germans. Yahoo! News reports live from the memorial:. From 19.50 hours on RTL 4
• Around 19:00 begins the annual May 4 commemoration at the National Monument Westerbork. Holocaust survivor Jules Schelvis will pronounce a sermon. From Westerbork more than 100.0000 Jews, resistance fighters, Sinti and Roma were deported to camps in World War II in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
• Defense Minister Hennis-Plasschaert gives a speech during the memorial service at the National Field of Honour Loenen. There are 3,700 war victims buried.
• Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven be at the memorial at the military cemetery Grebbeberg in Rhenen. At the cemetery are more than 800 Dutch soldiers buried. After the two minutes silence wreaths are laid. Then follows a procession past the graves

3. Two minutes of silence, how is that if you’re on the road?
Around 300 trains are at 20:00 two minutes of silence for Remembrance Day. Trains leave around that time, stating that until after the memorial service. Trains on the move, still put. Travelers are informed via the intercom about this.

People who are at 20:00 hours in the car and two minutes to be quiet, it is advisable to look for a parking space. On signs above the motorway, the text: “Commemorate? Find a parking space. Not on the shoulder.

4. The flag is at half-mast, how is that exactly?
On May 4, the flags at half mast as a mark of reverence and respect for the dead. The flag hears from 18:00 until sunset to half mast. Today ‘expanded’ flagged. That means the flag hangs on all government buildings.

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