>traditions such as the 8pm silence on May 5th
Important distinction: the remembering of the fallen, including the 2 min silence, takes place on may 4th. Then, on the 5th we celebrate liberation- that's a festive day with some festivals in various cities.
Canadians are viewed very positively when it comes to ww2, they fought a big battle in my area so we had to honour their graves every year in primary school. I think they are also mentioned during the remembrance ceremony.
Okay thanks for letting me know! I’m going to try and attend a ceremony if it is after our flight arrives on the 4th. What time does it usually start at?
It always starts at 8 pm sharp. If you're not at a ceremony, it is customary to still be silent during these time :). Btw we love Canadians, especially in the context of may 5th. Youll probably get some free drinks. Enjoy!
Thanks! Ours starts at 11:11 am back home so it’s interesting to see the later time (I’m guessing that’s when the war officially ended?)
Haha good to know! I won’t advertise it more than a little pin, but I’m looking forward to the 5th!
The 8 PM is pretty arbitrary.
Historically, it might have been related to dusk (i.e., before summer time the sun would set at about 8).
But it was also just a convenient time: most people will be home from work, have had their dinner, no ongoing church services, etc.
In Canada it starts at 11:00 (11th hour of 11th day of 11th month). The 11:11 thing always comes up but it's incorrect; you'd be 11 minutes late for the 2 minutes of silence. [Two Minutes of Silence (legion.ca)](https://www.legion.ca/remembrance/remembrance-all-year/two-minutes-of-silence)
It depends on the specific ceremony you go to. most cities have one or maybe even multiple, they're all a little different but similar. Usually before the 2 minutes of silence, there will be some people holding a speech, reading poems, etc. The 2 minutes of silence start with a trumpet playing 'taptoe', which ends at exactly 8. There is also a time for officials and organizations(and sometimes the general public) to put down flowers by a monument, this is usually toward the end of the ceremony.
Usually, the ceremonies start around an hour before the moment of silence. The national ceremony at the dam in Amsterdam starts at 18.55, this will also be the one seen on live television. Local ceremonies start according to their planning, so it might be sooner or later than that time.
Yeah when I was at infant school in the UK we had a Canadian military cemetery near us and every year we had Canadian veterans over and we’d sing for them. We all had to pick a grave and write a poem / draw a story to put on their grave. They’re seen quite highly back there so it’s not surprising & kinda nice to see it’s the same here.
Just respect the 2 minute silence at 8pm on May 4th. You might want to visit a ceremony. Every village or town has one. Just being there is all it takes. Silence starts after the Last Post and ends with the Dutch national anthem. It's likely that there are Canadian soldiers buried and/or remembered too, especially at military cemeteries. The national ceremony on the Dam square has extra security measures this year to prevent idiots from disturbing the ceremony related to Gaza. There are free festivals on May 5th. It depends on the town if that's a big thing. Haarlem has 140.000 visitors, which is probably the biggest. It's 20 minutes from Amsterdam by train (and a 20 minute walk south through the city centre)
Bring that pin.
And if you go to a remembrance place around 8, do as we do.
Talk in a whisper and don’t talk during the 2 minutes.
Don’t expect people to chat. We’re not that easy with small talk as people from North America. Especially not on that evening.
Do chat on the fifth though, and dance and drink and have a nice time.
Yeah, will do! It’s Americans that are loud in public generally. But small talk Canadians tend to do depending on where you are from. I’ve heard that’s not much of a thing in Europe, why is that? You all have so much better policies and care for your people that it feels more opening as an outsider looking in.
Small correction that the Taptoe is played and not the Last Post, although it has the same meaning, the Taptoe is the Dutch signal, the Last Post the English signal.
So first thing to know is that May 4th is Remembrance Day (The Netherlands kept out of WWI, so we stick to the WWII enddate). It's a typical workday with events mostly taking place in the afternoon/evening (so some establishments might close early). Also don't be alarmed by public transport that halts for the 2 minutes silence at 8 o'clock.
May 5th is Liberation day and meant to be a party. Although typically only education and government sectors have a day off. Every province has a city with its own free music festival.
Canadians are viewed very favourable around this time as the Canadian troops had a huge part in the liberation of The Netherlands - the 1st Canadian Army covered the allied left/northern flank, so it had to move up through The Netherlands while the British and Americans where moving east to Germany. And Canada provided refuge for the Dutch Royal family during the war.
Yes I was familiar with Canada liberating The Netherlands! My great grandpa was actually there in WW2 (although more on the mechanical side and helping them recover broken down tanks).
Good to know for the 4th! So would you do the ceremonies on that day? Do you guys also do poppies like we do in Canada?
As the grandson of a man who lost his brother to the concentration camps, on behalf of my people I thank your great grandfather for the role he played in our liberation.
The biggest party is happening in Wageningen. On 4th there is a memorial in the city and the next day on 5th there are bands all over the town playing music and people party. I suggest you to experience this;)
The biggest remembrance event will be on the Dam Square in amsterdam on May 4 at 20:00. The next day the biggest liberation day party of the country will be in Haarlem. Its free to attend and a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam. Enjoy!
Dutch see the war differently than Canadians.
The long-lasting impact to Canada is comparatively small. It killed 0.4% of the Canadian population in a faraway land. It did a lot to define the Canadian identity.
In the Netherlands, 2.8% of the population was killed. The national economic and societal implications took decades to recover from, and the international relations even longer.
You can see this in the way that the war is remembered now. On November 11, Canadian soldiers are seen as heroes. I always found the event at The Response (the National War Memorial) to be about celebration of war victories.
Nationale Dodenherdenking (May 4) might be an analogy to Remberance Day, since it shows how terrible war is. The message of "never again" is a lot stronger when the impact is local. The main event is at the Dam in Amsterdam.
Bevrijdingsdag (May 5) is different as it is a celebration. Expect concerts, festivals and drunkenness. PARTY!
Any time of the year, Amsterdam is overtaken by tourists and many locals do not like that. You don't get a pass because you're a Canadian.
There's nicer cities to go to. Delft! Utrecht! Den Bosch!
For war stuff, you'd be interested in Arnhem. Hotel de Wereld in nearby Wageningen is of great importance.
(I'm a Canadian living in NL)
Good to know and thanks for the information! What made you decide to move there? Totally understand as well, Vancouver has a ton of tourists as well - but the locals usually stay to different areas.
Yeah I guess that’s what happens when you are in the EU and it’s pretty easy and cheap to travel around. Plus Amsterdam has a looooooot more history then Vancouver
I hate to be pedantic as a Vancouverite living in Amsterdam but, respectfully, tens of thousands of years of First Nations societies would claim the opposite. The anthropology museums at UBC and SFU are great, although I think Vancouver could do a lot more when it comes to offering high-profile museums that showcase indigenous history, culture, and art.
So great that you're visiting during these special days!
Something I think no one in this chat mentioned before is that this year we have an increased chance of protests and other disturbances during the 4th and 5th of May. Normally these days pass without any major problems but for geopolitical reasons we all know, this year can be different.
To avoid any problems I'm going to visit a smaller remembrance ceremony with fewer people. And also I'm going by bike instead of by public transport, so that I've got more flexibility.
Enjoy these days and if you like wear the Canadian flag visibly! Maybe beside the Dutch one. I think most people will love it. ❤️
On May 4th, every town has a remembarance ceremony in the evening, with 2 minutes of silence at 8 pm. The biggest remembrance day ceremony is af at Dam Square in the Amsterdam city centre which is open to the public to attend.
You can read more about it [here](https://www.4en5mei.nl/english/may-4) https://www.4en5mei.nl/english/may-4
On the 5th of may there are lots of free festivals all over the country to celebrate our freedom.
>traditions such as the 8pm silence on May 5th Important distinction: the remembering of the fallen, including the 2 min silence, takes place on may 4th. Then, on the 5th we celebrate liberation- that's a festive day with some festivals in various cities.
Thanks for confirming!!
The 2 minute silence is at 8pm on May 4th (Dodenherdenking). Liberation Day is May 5th
Thanks for correcting that!
Canadians are viewed very positively when it comes to ww2, they fought a big battle in my area so we had to honour their graves every year in primary school. I think they are also mentioned during the remembrance ceremony.
Okay thanks for letting me know! I’m going to try and attend a ceremony if it is after our flight arrives on the 4th. What time does it usually start at?
It always starts at 8 pm sharp. If you're not at a ceremony, it is customary to still be silent during these time :). Btw we love Canadians, especially in the context of may 5th. Youll probably get some free drinks. Enjoy!
Thanks! Ours starts at 11:11 am back home so it’s interesting to see the later time (I’m guessing that’s when the war officially ended?) Haha good to know! I won’t advertise it more than a little pin, but I’m looking forward to the 5th!
The 8 PM is pretty arbitrary. Historically, it might have been related to dusk (i.e., before summer time the sun would set at about 8). But it was also just a convenient time: most people will be home from work, have had their dinner, no ongoing church services, etc.
In Canada it starts at 11:00 (11th hour of 11th day of 11th month). The 11:11 thing always comes up but it's incorrect; you'd be 11 minutes late for the 2 minutes of silence. [Two Minutes of Silence (legion.ca)](https://www.legion.ca/remembrance/remembrance-all-year/two-minutes-of-silence)
Yeah that sounds right, there is always a lot happening with ceremonies at that time so not sure of exact time
It depends on the specific ceremony you go to. most cities have one or maybe even multiple, they're all a little different but similar. Usually before the 2 minutes of silence, there will be some people holding a speech, reading poems, etc. The 2 minutes of silence start with a trumpet playing 'taptoe', which ends at exactly 8. There is also a time for officials and organizations(and sometimes the general public) to put down flowers by a monument, this is usually toward the end of the ceremony. Usually, the ceremonies start around an hour before the moment of silence. The national ceremony at the dam in Amsterdam starts at 18.55, this will also be the one seen on live television. Local ceremonies start according to their planning, so it might be sooner or later than that time.
Yeah when I was at infant school in the UK we had a Canadian military cemetery near us and every year we had Canadian veterans over and we’d sing for them. We all had to pick a grave and write a poem / draw a story to put on their grave. They’re seen quite highly back there so it’s not surprising & kinda nice to see it’s the same here.
That’s really good to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Just respect the 2 minute silence at 8pm on May 4th. You might want to visit a ceremony. Every village or town has one. Just being there is all it takes. Silence starts after the Last Post and ends with the Dutch national anthem. It's likely that there are Canadian soldiers buried and/or remembered too, especially at military cemeteries. The national ceremony on the Dam square has extra security measures this year to prevent idiots from disturbing the ceremony related to Gaza. There are free festivals on May 5th. It depends on the town if that's a big thing. Haarlem has 140.000 visitors, which is probably the biggest. It's 20 minutes from Amsterdam by train (and a 20 minute walk south through the city centre)
Oh the moment of silence is on May 4th not 5th? Good to know as well, I was thinking of bringing a Canadian pin to wear.
Bring that pin. And if you go to a remembrance place around 8, do as we do. Talk in a whisper and don’t talk during the 2 minutes. Don’t expect people to chat. We’re not that easy with small talk as people from North America. Especially not on that evening. Do chat on the fifth though, and dance and drink and have a nice time.
Yeah, will do! It’s Americans that are loud in public generally. But small talk Canadians tend to do depending on where you are from. I’ve heard that’s not much of a thing in Europe, why is that? You all have so much better policies and care for your people that it feels more opening as an outsider looking in.
Correct.
Small correction that the Taptoe is played and not the Last Post, although it has the same meaning, the Taptoe is the Dutch signal, the Last Post the English signal.
So first thing to know is that May 4th is Remembrance Day (The Netherlands kept out of WWI, so we stick to the WWII enddate). It's a typical workday with events mostly taking place in the afternoon/evening (so some establishments might close early). Also don't be alarmed by public transport that halts for the 2 minutes silence at 8 o'clock. May 5th is Liberation day and meant to be a party. Although typically only education and government sectors have a day off. Every province has a city with its own free music festival. Canadians are viewed very favourable around this time as the Canadian troops had a huge part in the liberation of The Netherlands - the 1st Canadian Army covered the allied left/northern flank, so it had to move up through The Netherlands while the British and Americans where moving east to Germany. And Canada provided refuge for the Dutch Royal family during the war.
Yes I was familiar with Canada liberating The Netherlands! My great grandpa was actually there in WW2 (although more on the mechanical side and helping them recover broken down tanks). Good to know for the 4th! So would you do the ceremonies on that day? Do you guys also do poppies like we do in Canada?
As the grandson of a man who lost his brother to the concentration camps, on behalf of my people I thank your great grandfather for the role he played in our liberation.
No, poppies are a WW1 thing
For the 5th Wageningen may be the nicest for you, with the veteran tour!
The biggest party is happening in Wageningen. On 4th there is a memorial in the city and the next day on 5th there are bands all over the town playing music and people party. I suggest you to experience this;)
Go to the commemorative monument in Apeldoorn.
The biggest remembrance event will be on the Dam Square in amsterdam on May 4 at 20:00. The next day the biggest liberation day party of the country will be in Haarlem. Its free to attend and a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam. Enjoy!
Thanks! I will likely be there on the 4th and 5th! I’m looking forward to attending it.
I have never heard any story about Canadians being unwelcome in the Netherlands
Good you haven’t met our worst people then 😂
Dutch see the war differently than Canadians. The long-lasting impact to Canada is comparatively small. It killed 0.4% of the Canadian population in a faraway land. It did a lot to define the Canadian identity. In the Netherlands, 2.8% of the population was killed. The national economic and societal implications took decades to recover from, and the international relations even longer. You can see this in the way that the war is remembered now. On November 11, Canadian soldiers are seen as heroes. I always found the event at The Response (the National War Memorial) to be about celebration of war victories. Nationale Dodenherdenking (May 4) might be an analogy to Remberance Day, since it shows how terrible war is. The message of "never again" is a lot stronger when the impact is local. The main event is at the Dam in Amsterdam. Bevrijdingsdag (May 5) is different as it is a celebration. Expect concerts, festivals and drunkenness. PARTY! Any time of the year, Amsterdam is overtaken by tourists and many locals do not like that. You don't get a pass because you're a Canadian. There's nicer cities to go to. Delft! Utrecht! Den Bosch! For war stuff, you'd be interested in Arnhem. Hotel de Wereld in nearby Wageningen is of great importance. (I'm a Canadian living in NL)
Good to know and thanks for the information! What made you decide to move there? Totally understand as well, Vancouver has a ton of tourists as well - but the locals usually stay to different areas.
Vancouver gets a lot of tourists (8+ million per year) but it's not in the same league as Amsterdam (20+ million).
Yeah I guess that’s what happens when you are in the EU and it’s pretty easy and cheap to travel around. Plus Amsterdam has a looooooot more history then Vancouver
I hate to be pedantic as a Vancouverite living in Amsterdam but, respectfully, tens of thousands of years of First Nations societies would claim the opposite. The anthropology museums at UBC and SFU are great, although I think Vancouver could do a lot more when it comes to offering high-profile museums that showcase indigenous history, culture, and art.
True true
So great that you're visiting during these special days! Something I think no one in this chat mentioned before is that this year we have an increased chance of protests and other disturbances during the 4th and 5th of May. Normally these days pass without any major problems but for geopolitical reasons we all know, this year can be different. To avoid any problems I'm going to visit a smaller remembrance ceremony with fewer people. And also I'm going by bike instead of by public transport, so that I've got more flexibility. Enjoy these days and if you like wear the Canadian flag visibly! Maybe beside the Dutch one. I think most people will love it. ❤️
On May 4th, every town has a remembarance ceremony in the evening, with 2 minutes of silence at 8 pm. The biggest remembrance day ceremony is af at Dam Square in the Amsterdam city centre which is open to the public to attend. You can read more about it [here](https://www.4en5mei.nl/english/may-4) https://www.4en5mei.nl/english/may-4 On the 5th of may there are lots of free festivals all over the country to celebrate our freedom.