Liberation for Everyone Every year ceremonies are held in The Netherlands to commemorate the end of World War II in 1945. On May 4, wreaths are laid at the many war monuments to honour all those who lost their lives, and on May 5, we celebrate the liberation by the Allied Forces from 5 years of German occupation. Since the war many people from other countries have settled in the Netherlands. How were Dutch immigrants involved in the war and how are they experiencing this today? Every group has its own story. But if we really want to understand each other, we also have to share each other's past. This website focuses on groups whose contributions to the war are not well-known, in the hope that this will make the ceremonies more meaningful to everyone. Today these ceremonies are a time to focus on freedom, peace, and respect for others in general (people from different cultures, different religions, different sexual orientation, etc.) On this website the following groups are represented: * The Netherlands Antilles (now Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and three Antillean municipalities), * The Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia), * Morocco, * Suriname, * Turkey and * The Netherlands (Gays and lesbians in war and resistance). This website is a work in progress - we regularly add more stories as they come to our attention.

Colofon (2004-2023): Original financing 2004: Province of North-Holland Texts and editing (unless noted otherwise): Pim Ligtvoet Webmaster: Marja Eijkhoudt Hosting: ValetHosting Contact editor If you can't see the pictures around this frame: click here

Last major updates: Additions: Fortunée van Meer-Zavarro Additions: Van de Kar and Mogroby Corrections: Samson sisters Additions: Louise van de Montel Additions: Surinam Jews New Suriname: Erwin Strauss New: Appeal by King Mohamed V 1939 Last update: 22 February 2022