Attend a commemoration ceremony

Throughout the year there are commemoration ceremonies in The Hague for victims of war and people who fought for freedom. Check to see where and when in the city you can attend a commemoration ceremony.

Due to the coronavirus you can only attend the commemoration ceremonies online.

Commemoration ceremony 27 January

Ceremony: International Holocaust Remembrance Day The Hague
Commemorates: all victims of the Second World War
Location: Peace Palace
More information: ihrd-thehague.org

Commemoration ceremony 3 March

Ceremony: Accidental bombardment of Bezuidenhout
Commemorates: the accidental bombing by the British air force on 3 March 1945 with more than 550 casualties.
Location: Juliana van Stolberg monument (Koningin Marialaan)
More information: www.bezuidenhout.nl/3maart45/

Commemoration ceremony April/May

Ceremony: Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day
Commemorates: the victims of the Holocaust, and the heroism of survivors and rescuers.
Location: Jewish children's monument, Rabbijn Maarsenplein
More information: www.jomhasjoadenhaag.weebly.com

Commemoration ceremonies 4 May

On 4 May Dutch victims of the Second World War are remembered together with Dutch victims of other conflicts, wars and peacekeeping missions which have taken place since the outbreak of the Second World War in the Netherlands. The commemoration ceremonies take place at various locations in the city.

  • Ceremony: Den Haag Herdenkt
    Commemorates: the victims of the Second World War.
    Location: the Grote Kerk
    More information: huisvoordestad-denhaag.nl/den-haag-herdenkt
    Ceremony: Commemoration of the List of Honour of the Fallen
    Commemorates: Dutch servicemen and resistance fighters who were killed in the Second World War.
    Location: Hall of the Tweede Kamer building (Binnenhof 1a)
    More information: www.erelijst.nl
    Ceremony: Nieuwspoort remembrance ceremony
    Commemorates: all fallen journalists, printers and couriers.
    Location: Nieuwspoort, next to the Lange Poten entrance
    More information: www.nieuwspoort.nl/debatcentrum/herdenkingsbijeenkomst-4-mei/
    Ceremony: Englandspiel monument
    Commemorates: the 54 captured resistance agents in the Englandspiel. During the Second World War the Sicherheitsdienst was based in the white house behind the monument.
    Location: Hogeweg (Van Stolkpark)
    More information: www.stichtingnationaleherdenkingsgravenhage.nl/events/monument-englandspiel-hogeweg/
    Ceremony: Ceremony at Jewish Monument
    Commemorates: Jews from The Hague who were deported and murdered during the Second World War.
    Location: Rabbijn Maarsenplein
    More information: www.joodserfgoeddenhaag.nl
    Ceremony: Parallelweg memorial site
    Commemorates: the 12 Dutch prisoners from the Oranjehotel shot by the Germans in revenge on 31 March 1945.
    Location: Parallelweg, by Hollands Spoor train station
    More information: www.stichtingnationaleherdenkingsgravenhage.nl/events/monument-gedenkplaats-parallelweg-2
    Ceremony: Hague Memorial Monument 1940-1945
    Commemorates: all victims of the Second World War.
    Location: Carnegieplein
    More information: www.stichtingnationaleherdenkingsgravenhage.nl/events/haags-herdenkings-monument
    Ceremony: International Gay Rights Monument
    Commemorates: all LGBT people in the world who have been persecuted or oppressed because of their homosexuality.
    Location: Koekamp, Laan van Reagan en Gorbatsjov
    More information: www.internationaal-homomonument-denhaag.com
    Ceremony: Sinti and Roma monument
    Commemorates: the 112 Sinti and Roma people who were deported from The Hague on 16 May 1944.
    Location: Vondelstraat (on the square)
    More information: www.zeeheldennieuws.nl/bewonersorganisatie-zeeheldenkwartier-de-groene-eland

  • Ceremony Forced Labourers Monument by the Provinciehuis
    Commemorates: the spot where forced labourers in The Hague were assembled to be transported to Germany.
    Location: inner courtyard of the Provinciehuis, Zuid-Hollandplein 1
    More information: www.stichtingnationaleherdenkingsgravenhage.nl/events/monument-dwangarbeiders-provinciehuis

  • Ceremony: Trekvlietplein commemoration
    Commemorates: the fallen municipal employees who during the Second World War worked in administration, sanitation services and former utility companies.
    Location: Trekvlietplein, park next to Trekvlietplein 19
    More information: www.stichtingnationaleherdenkingsgravenhage.nl/events/monument-trekvlietplein-den-haag
    Ceremony: De Binckhorst Soldier's Monument
    Commemorates: the 3 soldiers of the 7th Searchlight Department who died on 10 May 1940.
    Location: Kasteel De Binckhorst, Binckhorstlaan 149
    More information: binckhaven.nl/events
    Ceremony: De Wissel memorial stone
    Commemorates: all victims of military violence.
    Location: Van Meursstraat 1, Kerk De Oase
    More information: can be requested at De Wissel neighbourhood centre

  • Ceremony: Parnassia Groep War Monument
    Commemorates: the 251 Jewish patients and Jewish people in hiding who stayed at the Rosenburg and Bloemendaal Foundations during the Second World War. Most of them were sent to concentration camps at Sobibor and Auschwitz.
    Location: Albardastraat by the Parnassia Groep monument
    More information: www.parnassiagroep.nl/wie-we-zijn/herdenkingsmonument
    Ceremony: Liberation of The Hague by the First Canadian Army
    Commemorates: the struggle by the Canadians and the more than 8,000 people who perished in the fight for our freedom.
    Location: Savornin Lohmanplein
    More information: will follow
    Ceremony: Monument for the Stijkel Group
    Commemorates: Dutch resistance group De Stijkel Group. 33 executed members were re-interred in this cemetery in 1947 and wooden crosses were placed for 10 victims whose corpses were never found.
    Location: Westduin cemetery, Ockenburghstraat
    More information: www.stichtingnationaleherdenkingsgravenhage.nl/events/monumenten-stijkelgroep-en-geallieerden
    Ceremony: Liberation monument in Loosduinen
    Commemorates: the 24 resistance fighters from Loosduinen who died during the Second World War.
    Location: Loosduinse Hoofdplein by the bell tower
    More information: www.stichtingnationaleherdenkingsgravenhage.nl/events/bevrijdings-monument-loosduinen

  • Ceremony: The Dutch East Indies Memorial
    Commemorates: the approximately 161 soldiers from The Hague who died in the struggle in the Dutch East Indies between 1945 and 1950.
    Location: Corner of the Ver-Huëllweg and the Professor B.M. Teldersweg
    More information: vomi-nederland.nl
    Ceremony: Monument on the Tesselseplein in Scheveningen
    Commemorates: the residents of Scheveningen and the vents in the Duindorp neighbourhood during the German occupation and after the liberation.
    Location: Tesselseplein
    More information: www.wijkberaadduindorp.nl
    Ceremony: Waalsdorpervlakte
    Commemorates: the more than 500 people executed by the German occupiers on the Waalsdorpervlakte.
    Location: Waalsdorpervlakte execution site
    More information: www.erepeloton.nl
    Ceremony: National Children's Memorial Service
    Commemorates: the victims of the Second World War and others who were killed in war situations and during peace missions.
    Location: George Maduroplein, Madurodam
    More information: www.nationalekinderherdenking.nl

  • Ceremony: Plaque for V2 victims in Heesterbuurt and surroundings
    Commemorates: the 27 civilians killed when a V2 missile crashed immediately after launch on 1 January 1945.
    Location: Corner of Indigostraat/Kamperfoeliestraat
    More information: www.wijkberaadheesterbuurt.nl

Commemoration ceremony 5 May

Ceremony: National celebration of Liberation Day
Commemorates: the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation (1940-1945).
Location: Malieveld
More information: www.bevrijdingsfestivaldenhaag.nl

Commemoration ceremony 8 May

Ceremony: Commemoration of the liberation of The Hague by the Princess Irene Brigade
Commemorates: the liberation of The Hague by the Princess Irene Brigade on 8 May 1945.
Location: plaque on the Grote of St. Jacobskerk, Rond de Grote Kerk 12
More information: The commemoration is held every year on 8 May at 11.00 hrs.

Commemoration ceremonies 10 May

Ceremony: Monument for the Grenadiers and Rifles Guards Regiment
Commemorates: the German attack on Ypenburg Airport. More than 500 Dutch soldiers were killed in and around The Hague. 208 were members of the Grenadiers and Rifles Guards Regiment.
Location: Ypenburg, Böttgerwater
More information: www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/historische-canons/historische-canon-garderegiment-grenadiers-en-jagers/de-traditie-van-het-regiment/herdenken-en-monumenten
Ceremony: Ypenburg Memorial Service
Commemorates: the Battle for Ypenburg Airport on 10 May 1940. Some 100 Dutch soldiers died during the battle.
Location: Ilsyplantsoen 1 (the former Ypenburg Airport)
More information: www.herdenking.historischypenburg.nl
Ceremony: Commemoration at Military Cemetery in The Hague
Commemorates: the Battle for The Hague. At least 546 Dutch soldiers were killed in the battle.
Location: Cemetery, Kerkhoflaan 12
More information: www.oorlogsgravendenhaag.com

Commemoration ceremony 15 August

Ceremony: National commemoration of 15 August 1945
Commemorates: all victims of the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies and the direct consequences of this.
Location: Dutch East Indies Monument on the Prof. Teldersweg
More information: 15augustus1945.nl

Commemoration ceremony 1st Saturday in September

Ceremony: Remembrance ceremony at National Monument Oranjehotel
Commemorates: the Oranjehotel, the Scheveningen prison during the Second World War. The Germans imprisoned more than 25,000 people here.
Location: National Monument Oranjehotel, Van Alkemadelaan 1258
More information: www.oranjehotel.org/nl/ontdek/herdenking

Published: 30 April 2021Modified: 7 September 2021