by Karel Wagemans – first published in Dutch on January 20, 2025 Introduction: Remembering the Origins of Herdenking As the Indo community and others with family history in the Dutch East Indies commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific, it is worth remembering how the tradition of Herdenking—the…
August 15, 2021 was the 76th Anniversary of the end of the Japanese occupation in the Dutch East Indies. From California to the Netherlands, all of the victims from World War II were commemorated. 2021 Commemoration Day – In Remembrance, August 1945 In Los Angeles, Sandra van Lommel-Ly, on behalf of Comite 15 Augustus 1945,…
The annual commemoration ceremonies ‘herdenkingsceremonie,’ was held on Saturday, August 12th at the National Cemetery of Los Angeles. Around 50 people came together out of respect for the fallen forces and civilians, who lost their life in the former Dutch East Indies during the Japanese occupation and the bersiap period. Unfortunately, the number of attendees…
The Netherlands was liberated on May 5th, 1945. On that date, however, there was no liberation of the Dutch East Indies, a former colony of The Netherlands. The Japanese continued to occupy the Dutch East Indies, as well as other parts of Asia, for months, after the liberation of Europe. The (National) Memorial festivities on…