Ommen Remembers

Program Memorial Day Ommen May 4, 2025

13:00 hours Flower ceremony at the cemetery on the Hardenbergerweg. Flowers will be laid on the Commonwealth war graves, the graves of civilian victims and the graves of the victims of Camp Erika. There will be speeches and recitation of poems. Following this, flowers will be laid at the Jewish cemetery and a poem will also be recited here.

15:00 As part of the commemoration, Fauré's requiem will be performed by the Sallands Bach Choir. Starts at 15:00 in the Reformed Church on Bouwstraat.

18:00 hours Commemoration at the memorial former camp Erika, Besthmenerberg. This commemoration is organized by the CCO (Cultuurhistorisch Centrum Ommen). At 17:30 departure from the parking lot "Steile Oever" to the monument.

19:40 hrs Commemoration at the town hall. Participating this year: children from elementary school Het Koloriet and Guido de Bres, music society SDG and violinist Chloë Elsenaar. During the commemoration the names of the 71 residents of Ommen who died as a result of acts of war during and after World War II will be read. There are several musical interludes between the program items. At the conclusion there will be a défilé and anyone who wishes may lay flowers.

Commemorations in the hamlets

Beerzerveld/Mariënberg: Gather at 19:30 at the corner Nieuweweg/Stationsweg in Mariënberg. After laying a wreath at the NS monument, the silent march will leave for the monument on Nieuweweg.

Commemoration Stegeren: Beginning 19:40 at the monument in Stegeren (at the Stegerdijk) .

Commemoration Lemele: Gather at 19:30 at building De Schakel. From here the silent march will depart to the monument for Peace and Freedom at the General Cemetery at the Zandeinde.

Commemoration Vinkenbuurt: start 17:45 at the statues of the two finches near the hide (T-junction Koloniedijk-Prinsenweg).

Vechtdal FM Live report Remembrance Day

On Sunday, May 4, Gert Stegeman reports live on behalf of Vechtdal FM on the commemoration of the dead at Besthmenerberg. He talks with attendees and does live coverage of the official commemoration starting at 18:00.

In a live broadcast between 17:00 and 20:00, the local broadcaster will pay ample attention to the Jewish work camps in Arriën and Dalfsen, people in hiding in Dalfsen, the horrors of Camp Erika, and the return of Jews who literally stood empty-handed because their homes and possessions had been sold for a pittance to compatriots by the German occupiers.

In the studio in Nieuwleusen, Donald Harpenslagen and Jeroen Bloemsma talk with Gerrit Jan Veldhuis about the treatment of Jews after returning from the death camps. In addition, there are interviews with Guusta Veldman, historian and author of the book: Knackers behind barbed wire, and Lion Tokkie who, with the theatrical performance 'Wortel van Gras', draws attention to an underexposed episode in Dutch historiography: The Jewish work camps; for many Dutch Jews the gateway to the extermination camps.

The radio broadcast can be heard Sunday between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. via the airwaves (105.9 FM/106.3), and [the Vechtdal FM website](https://rtvvechtdal.nl/vechtdalfm """). The interviews with Guusta Veldman and Lion Tokkie can be listened to after the broadcast via Spotify on the RTV Vechtdal website.

Flag protocol

On May 4 the flags in the Netherlands hang at half mast as a mark of respect and reverence for the dead. The period during which the flag is at half-mast lasts from sunrise to sunset. The flag used is the Dutch tricolor without pennant.

When the flag is hoisted, it is first hoisted full, then it is slowly lowered until the center of the flag reaches half its normal length. Then the flag line is tied. After sunset, the flag is taken down at memorial sites. When the flag is taken down, the flag goes from half-mast to the top before being taken down. On May 5 in the Netherlands, the flags hang in the top from sunrise to sunset. The flag used is the Dutch tricolor without pennant.