Remembrance Day 2025: This is what the memorial service will look like on 4 May in Zoetermeer

Every year in the Netherlands on 4 May we commemorate all civilians and soldiers who died in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, or elsewhere in the world since the outbreak of the Second World War, in war situations and at peace missions. We also commemorate in Zoetermeer and there is a special program for Zoetermeerders.

During National Remembrance Day in Zoetermeer there is traditionally the Pacific through the Dorpsstraat and the memorial service at the War Memorial in the Wilhelminapark. Read the full program below.

Silent tour in the Dorpsstraat

On Sunday, May 4, the Pacific Tour at the Nicolaaskerk at Dorpsstraat 24 will start at 19.25. Together with Burgemeester Michel Bezuijen, Drommelaars from Muziekvereniging Kunst en Vriendschap and members of the Scouting Group John McCormick, members of the Oud Mariniers contact you can walk. Along the way, the mayor lays a wreath at the war memorial next to the Grote Kerk.

Memorial service

The Pacific Tour continues through the Dorpsstraat and ends at the Wilhelminapark. Here is the war memorial where the memorial service starts at 7.56 pm. Two minutes of silence follows at 8 p.m., after which wreaths and flowers are placed at the monument. The mayor then gives a speech. Caithlyn van der Spek (14) reads the poem ‘on earth’ by Jana Beranová.

Subsequently, there is a possibility to walk past the monument and possibly lay flowers yourself. During the parade, three aircraft from the Rotterdam Aero Club (RAC) fly over the Wilhelminapark missing man formation. Memorate with each other Zoetermeerders who have fought for our freedom. The memorial service is an impressive experience that you have to experience at least as a Zoetermeerder once.

To the theater

Throughout the Netherlands there are performances on 4 May at 9 p.m. with the Subject The Second World War. In the Stadstheater you can view the show ‘When we were lost’. In this theater performance, Zoetermeerse young people talk about their research into the history of Zoetermeer during the Second World War. The same performance can also be seen in the theater at 3 p.m. Order here Tickets for 12.50 euros per person.