SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2025

The National Committee for May 4 and 5 calls on all residents to fly the flag at half-mast throughout the day on May 4 (from sunrise to sunset).

Morning Program

Wreaths and flowers will be laid at various memorials and monuments. You are warmly invited to attend. The schedule and route are as follows:

• 09:15 Jewish Cemetery, Iepenlaan
• 09:30 Selwerderhof: NS Monument, Dutch East Indies Monument, and Veterans Monument
• 10:00 Noorderbegraafplaats, Moesstraat 98
• 10:20 Butterworth Plaque, Paterswoldseweg 188
• 10:40 Zuiderbegraafplaats, Hereweg
• 10:55 Roman Catholic Cemetery, Hereweg
• 11:20 Former House of Detention, Helperlinie 2, Memorial for Political Prisoners
• 11:40 Esserveld Cemetery, Esserweg: graves of fallen Allied soldiers, fallen resistance fighters, and the war memorial
• 12:20 Wreath laying at the Scholtenhuis memorial plaque, Naberstraat
• Followed by: Wreath laying for the fallen Canadian soldiers and the murdered city council members. With music by The Clan MacBeth Pipe Band. Location: front/side of City Hall, Grote Markt

Afternoon Program

• 15:00 Commemoration of Corporal Kevin Roggeveld, who died on July 6, 2016, during the peace mission in Mali. Location: Hoogkerk Cemetery
• 15:00 Commemoration of the Mistaken Bombing on September 26, 1941. Location: Jozef Israëlsplein monument
• 16:15 Commemoration of Johannes Swint, communist resistance fighter, murdered on January 1, 1944, at Linnaeusplein. Location: Linnaeusplein, Zaagmuldersweg side

Commemorations Elsewhere in the Municipality of Groningen

• 11:00 Commemoration at Hoogkerk Cemetery, Kerkstraat
• 19:45 Commemoration at the Monument on Boeiersingel, Hoogkerk
• 20:00 Commemoration at the Dutch Reformed Church Cemetery, Engelbert
• 20:00 Commemoration at the New Cemetery in Noorddijk, preceded by a Silent March. Gathering at 19:00, departure at 19:15 from 't Dok, Kajuit 4

Evening Program

The National Remembrance Ceremony begins at 18:00

• 18:00 National flag at half-mast on all government buildings until sunset (approx. 21:00)
• 18:25 Participants of the Silent March gather at the Van Mesdag Clinic on Hereweg
• 18:35 Start of official Remembrance at the Jewish Monument. Welcome and opening words
• Wreaths laid at the Jewish Monument by the Jewish Community of Groningen, the municipal government of Groningen, and the May 4 Remembrance Foundation Groningen
• Afterwards: Silent March departs from Hereweg. Route: Hereweg, Gedempte Zuiderdiep, Oosterstraat, Grote Markt, Kreupelstraat, Martinikerkhof

Public Remembrance at Martinikerkhof

• 19:15 Martinikerkhof: honor guard by the Groningen branch of the Dutch Red Cross, chorale music by Christian Harmonie Ensemble Patrimonium Groningen at the provincial war memorial St. George and the Dragon
• 19:35 Bells of the Martinitoren ring (until 19:45)
• 19:40 Silent March arrives and assembles at Martinikerkhof
• 19:45 The Clan MacBeth Pipe Band performs “Highland Cathedral”
• 19:48 Welcome and explanation of the program
• 19:52 Commissioner of the King René Paas and Mayor Mirjam van ’t Veld lay the first, joint wreath on behalf of us all
• 19:54 Music: theme from *Schindler’s List* performed by Sergiy Bolotny (violin) and Keiko Sakuma (piano)
• 19:58 Last Post
• 20:00 Two strokes of the Martinitoren bell signal the start of Two Minutes of Silence
• 20:02 The Dutch national anthem (*Wilhelmus*), verses 1 and 6
• 20:05 Speech by Mayor Mirjam van ’t Veld
• 20:12 Gruno’s Postharmonie performs the *Band of Brothers* theme
• 20:15 Official wreath laying followed by a procession for all attendees past the provincial war memorial St. George and the Dragon. Everyone is welcome to lay flowers or wreaths. Chorale music by Patrimonium and Gruno’s Postharmonie

Martinikerk

After the Remembrance ceremony, you are warmly invited to the Martinikerk for coffee or tea. A music ensemble of students from the Prince Claus Conservatoire will provide background music during this informal gathering.

• 21:15 Theater Na de Dam: “Come On, Oblivion” by preparatory theatre students from De Noorderlingen and youth orchestra members of Noordpool Troupe
• A musical performance about memories, forgotten moments, and everything in between. Standing still in the now, reflecting on what once was. Together, the performers and musicians create a score for the future, fighting forgetfulness
• Free entrance. Part of the national project *Theater Na de Dam*, with similar performances across the Netherlands to give extra meaning to the Remembrance