Toespraak minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius bij Memorial Day in Margraten
Toespraak van minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius bij de herdenkingsplechtigheid op de Amerikaanse begraafplaats in Margraten. De tekst is alleen in het Engels beschikbaar.
Your Excellencies, Governor, Mr Mayor,
Generals and admiral, veterans, servicemen and women,
Esteemed guests,
And the family of the heroic soldiers laid to rest here,
We are here today to honour the American soldiers who crossed the Atlantic Ocean to fight for the freedom of people they had never met.
These soldiers left home, not knowing if they would ever see the future they were fighting for.
The soldiers laid to rest around us did not return home.
But Dutch citizens embraced them as members of their own families.
People of all ages place handwritten thank-you letters or a picture of their adopted soldier on these graves.
Some even name their child after their adopted soldier: Mariska and Thijs adopted the grave of Private First Class Carmelo Amoroso, and named their son after him.
To this day, there is a waiting list for people who want to adopt a grave here at Margraten.
Let me tell you about another soldier, a Private First Class whose first name was Bernard.
He was born in a village in Wisconsin.
In school he was a bit of a troublemaker, and he was given the nickname ‘big guts’ – while his younger brother was called ‘little guts’.
Not long after he joined the army, his unit was sent to Europe.
Despite his nickname, he was only able to show his courage for little more than a month.
Shortly before the end of the war, his armoured vehicle was hit by German fire.
He was only 18 years old.
His grave was adopted by Patrick, a Dutch history teacher.
Patrick was intrigued by Bernard’s last name: Van der Steen.
His research revealed that Bernard’s grandparents were Dutch, and had emigrated to the US in 1850.
Around that time, many Europeans set sail for the United States in search of freedom and opportunity.
During the Second World War, many of their sons and grandsons would return to their home continent to liberate its people.
These grandchildren of Europe became our brothers and sisters in arms when our liberty and our independence were in danger.
The bond between Americans and the Dutch is historic, special and personal.
We can look back on a shared history: as founding fathers of NATO, we fought side by side after 9/11, and stand united against Russian aggression.
At different times, we have been there for each other.
As Ambassador Popolo recently said: ‘American independence was fueled and funded by Dutch support’.
So we look forward to celebrating your 250th birthday with you in July.
In the meantime, we will continue to remember our American liberators.
Patrick later found family members of Bernard’s – both in the US and in the Netherlands – and traveled with them to Margraten to honour Bernard together.
Thijs and Mariska’s son will bear Carmelo’s name with pride and gratitude.
That is how the Dutch commemorate the soldiers laid to rest around us.
They may have never met the Dutch people that they fought for, but what an honour it is for us – for me – to meet these soldier through stories and photos.
This is how we say: thank you thank you for your service.