In the past two years, there has been no public at the Remembrance Day on Dam Square. Although the empty Dam made a big impression on many people, the public commemoration this year also gave many people goosebumps. Goosebumps because of the deafening silence in combination with the full square, but also because this year’s commemoration had an extra charge due to the war in Ukraine.
Remembrance Day with extra dark charge
On social media, many people say that they have experienced Remembrance Day more intensely this year than in previous years. “The moment when you can only hear birds on a crowded Dam will forever be a goosebumps moment,” someone writes. During the two minutes of silence, many people also thought about the war in Ukraine. “This year with an extra dark load”, someone wrote about it:
There is little more impressive than deafening silence. Then it’s peaceful for a while ❤️#remembrance day
— Marijke (@_MMarijke) May 4, 2022
The moment when you can only hear birds on a crowded Dam will always be a goosebumps moment.#Remembrance Day
— Thijs (@TharusThijs) May 4, 2022
Emo moment: I suddenly get full at the two minutes of silence. Glad the dam is full. Glad we live in a free country and think about Ukraine where everything is so different now. #Remembrance Day
— Annegien (@AnnegienS) May 4, 2022
Tears come to my eyes while watching the #Remembrance Day† Kill then kill now. Unnecessary .
— Benji Rietman (@Benji_Rietman) May 4, 2022
What an intense experience it is, every year. And this year with an extra dark load.#Remembrance Day
— Joanna ?? (@Jo_anna32) May 4, 2022
Speech Tieme during Remembrance Day
After the two minutes of silence, 19-year-old Tieme de Laat gave a speech about his great-grandfather Henk, who helped Jewish prisoners in camp Vught during the Second World War. That speech and especially the sentence “Do not make the bad worse by doing evil yourself”, stuck with many people:
We are more and more busy
to bring down the opponent
than to help the friend– Tieme de Laat
— Corrie Bult (@CorrieBult) May 4, 2022
19 years and then standing there like that. So calm and composed and with this message. Then your heart will burst with pride. #remembrance day #tieme
— Ank (@iAnk) May 4, 2022
‘… to show that where happiness and freedom can be given, it should not be taken from elsewhere’, says Tieme de Laat #Remembrance Day #peace #freedom
— Marianne De Jong (she/her) (@mari_jong) May 4, 2022