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.

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

Commemoration ceremony April

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: jck.nl

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
    Time: 18.00 to 20.30 hrs.
    More information: huisvoordestad-denhaag.nl
    Ceremony: Nieuwspoort remembrance ceremony
    Commemorates: all fallen journalists, printers and couriers
    Location: Nieuwspoort, next to the Lange Poten entrance
    Time: 11.30 to 12.30 hrs.
    More information: www.nieuwspoort.nl
    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)
    Time: 15.00 to 15.30 hrs.
    More information: Stichting Nationale Herdenking ’s-Gravenhage
    Ceremony: Ceremony at Jewish Monument
    Commemorates: Jews from The Hague who were deported and murdered during the Second World War
    Location: Rabbijn Maarsenplein
    Time: 17.00 to 17.30 hrs.
    More information: Vereniging Ceremonies Joods Monument Den Haag
    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
    Time: 19.45 to 20.35 hrs.
    More information: Stichting Nationale Herdenking ’s-Gravenhage
    Ceremony: Hague Memorial Monument 1940-1945
    Commemorates: all victims of the Second World War
    Location: Carnegieplein
    Time: 18.00 to 20.30 hrs.
    More information: Stichting Nationale Herdenking ’s-Gravenhage
    Ceremony: International Gay Rights Monument
    Commemorates: all LGBTI people in the world who have been persecuted or oppressed because of their homosexuality
    Location: Koekamp, Laan van Reagan en Gorbatsjov
    Time: 19.30 to 20.30 hrs.
    More information: ihdh.nl
    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)
    Time: 19.45 to 20.35 hrs.
    More information: tracesofwar.com

  • 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
    Time: 12.45 to 15.00 hrs.
    More information: Stichting Nationale Herdenking ’s-Gravenhage

  • Ceremony: Trekvlietplein commemoration
    Commemorates: the 34 municipal employees who did not survive the Second World War. They worked in the parks services, sanitation services and former energy and gas companies.
    Location: Trekvlietplein, park next to Trekvlietplein 19
    Time: 9.30 to 11.30 hrs.
    More information: Stichting Nationale Herdenking ’s-Gravenhage
    Ceremony: De Wissel memorial stone
    Commemorates: all victims of military violence
    Location: Van Meursstraat 1, Kerk De Oase
    Time: 19.00 to 21.30 hrs.
    More information: can be requested at De Wissel neighbourhood centre. Telephone: (070) 205 23 90

  • Ceremony: Monument for the Stijkel Group
    Commemorates: Dutch resistance group De Stijkel Group. 33 executed members were re-interred in this cemetery in 1947. Wooden crosses were also placed for 10 victims whose corpses were never found.
    Location: Westduin cemetery, Ockenburghstraat
    Time: 19.40 to 21.00 hrs.
    More information: Stichting Nationale Herdenking ’s-Gravenhage
    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
    Time: 19.30 to 20.30 hrs.
    More information: Stichting Nationale Herdenking ’s-Gravenhage

  • 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
    Time: 10.55 to 11.35 hrs.
    More information: Dodenherdenking Scheveningen
    Ceremony: Monument on the Tesselseplein in Scheveningen
    Commemorates: the residents of Scheveningen and the events in the Duindorp neighbourhood during the German occupation and after the liberation
    Location: Tesselseplein
    Time: 11.00 to 13.00 hrs.
    More information: Dodenherdenking Scheveningen
    Ceremony: Waalsdorpervlakte
    Commemorates: the more than 500 people executed by the German occupiers on the Waalsdorpervlakte
    Location: Waalsdorpervlakte execution site
    Time: 19.00 to 23.59 hrs.
    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
    Time: 19.15 to 20.30 hrs.
    More information: www.nationalekinderherdenking.nl

  • Ceremony: Plaque for V2 victims in Heesterbuurt and surroundings
    Commemorates: the 24 civilians killed when a V2 missile crashed immediately after launch on 1 January 1945
    Location: corner of Indigostraat/Kamperfoeliestraat
    Time: 19.30 to 20.15 hrs.
    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
Time: 10.00 to 12.00 hrs.
More information: www.defensie.nl
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)
Time: 13.30 to 15.00 hrs.
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: Algemene Begraafplaats, Kerkhoflaan 12
Time: 15.30 to 17.00 hrs.
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 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

Published: 2 May 2023Modified: 2 May 2023