Dozens of veterans gathered today for the Amsterdam Veterans Day at the Marineterrein. The past two editions could not take place due to corona. Now it was possible again and that is very important for many veterans.
“You can talk very little about those veteran things with your normal friends,” says Dutchbat veteran Olav Smits. “Even with my own partner. Over the years he also starts to pick up on it, but in general it is difficult for others to understand how veterans think and act and why they act this way.” Smits served in the former Yugoslavia in the early 90s. often goes back to that time. I wake up with it and I go to bed with it. It haunts my head all day.”
Pride
“A lot of veterans live in Amsterdam,” says Mayor Halsema, who was also present today. “They are often also employed, for example with the police or the fire brigade. And sometimes they have a hard time. The memory of war remains in their heads and sometimes there is PTSD. Then it is very important that people can help each other. And that we as a city can show how proud we are of our veterans.”
The war in Ukraine makes the day extra fraught for many veterans. “That means a lot to us,” Wil Janssen says emotionally. He himself served in New Guinea. “What you couldn’t explain when you came home from a mission, is now happening again.” Smits: “You think about the war a lot anyway, but especially now with Ukraine it is getting closer and you hear it more often. It is crazy that we are still attacking each other at this time. Nobody gains anything with that.”
New tradition
Incidentally, it was the first time that the day was organized at the Marineterrein. But if it’s up to the mayor, certainly not for the last time. “Very appropriate. I really like that it can be done here now. I hope it’s a new tradition.”