Around 170 primary school students commemorate the consequences of the Second World War and the liberation 80 years ago. They put wreaths at the monument in the center of Emmen, followed by the Tattoo, a minute of silence and a few speeches.
The students come from four primary schools in the Emmermeer district. The classes have been taught in advance on the subject. “We were talking about the war and such. And about Hitler,” says Studente Vienn from OBS Emmermeer.
The schools think it is important to commemorate the war, emphasizes director Martine Nijboer of Montessori School Emmen. “In principle, we work on the Second World War every year. We process that in a theme. Group eight also goes to camp Westerbork every year.”
Nowadays the students are increasingly confronted with war. Refugees from Ukraine are also in the schoolbanks. “We are now also talking about those wars, because of course it is getting a lot closer,” Nijboer confirms. “They often flee with their mother and brothers and sisters this way and fathers stay in Ukraine, we also have to take that into account in our education.”
According to director Rob Middelburg of OBS Emmermeer, students are also the consequences of the war that is now being waged. “Of course it is very topical. I also think that the children are really talking about it. That does not necessarily have to be during class, that is also possible if they play outside or are somewhere else together.”
“Someone comes from Ukraine and he also talks Ukrainian, but we understand him,” says student Anna of Montessori School Emmen. “And it is really bad that he flees to the Netherlands because there is war, really very bad.”