Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ By being silent for two minutes, on Saturday at 8 pm the war victims who have died since the start of the Second World War have been commemorated. Traditionally, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima also attended the National Remembrance Day. Before the two-minute silence began, the royal couple laid a wreath at the National Monument on Dam Square. Prior to the speech by Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema, the Wilhelmus was sung and the 18-year-old Maureen de Witte read her poem ‘Once more often’. She won the poetry held 4 May. The second largest national memorial took place at the Military Field of Honor Grebbeberg in Rhenen. Here, military victims who lost their lives for the safety of the Netherlands were considered. This memorial was attended by Princess Margriet, Pieter van Vollenhoven and their son, Prince Pieter-Christiaan. Elsewhere in the country there were large and small commemorative ceremonies. One of the best known is that on the Waalsdorp Vlakte. In the dune area the Germans executed more than 250 prisoners, including many resistance fighters who were imprisoned in Scheveningen.
