{"id":4970,"date":"2017-05-05T15:13:37","date_gmt":"2017-05-05T15:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=4970"},"modified":"2017-05-05T15:19:08","modified_gmt":"2017-05-05T15:19:08","slug":"5-mei-bevrijdingsdag-celebrating-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/5-mei-bevrijdingsdag-celebrating-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"5 mei – Bevrijdingsdag: Celebrating Freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, I wrote about the Dodenherdenking<\/span>, the Dutch Memorial Day, remembering all Dutch burgers <\/span>(citizens) and soldaten <\/span>(soldiers) that have fallen since the Tweede Wereldoorlog <\/span>(Second World War). Today, that sad and difficult mood made a 180 degrees turn. Because today, it is time to celebrate vrijheid <\/span>(freedom).<\/p>\n

\"File:BevrijdingAmsterdam1945.jpg\"<\/a>

A jeep full of people celebrating freedom on May 8, 1945. They drive past the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, the same church where yesterday’s Herdenkingsbijeenkomst was held.<\/p><\/div>\n

A difficult end<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On 5 mei <\/span>(May 5th) 1945, the Duitse leger <\/span>(German army) officially capitulated and the Netherlands was bevrijd <\/span>(liberated). The south of the country had already been liberated before the winter of 1944. However, the cities above the rivers Maas, Waal and Rhine had not been liberated – which included cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht or Den Haag<\/span> (The Hague). The winter of 1944 was a terrible one, in which people lacked everything. Especially food. The citizens would eat anything to survive, even tulpenbollen<\/span> (tulip bulbs). The winter of 1944 is therefore often referred to as the Hongerwinter <\/span>(Hunger Winter).
\nBut, on 5 mei<\/span>, all that quickly made room for celebrations. And since then, the Netherlands has celebrated that vrhijheid <\/span>in a big way.<\/p>\n