Memorial Day and Liberation Day in Heerlen

On May 4, it is Remembrance Day. We then commemorate all war victims. On May 5 it's Liberation Day. We celebrate the end of the Second World War in the Netherlands. Also in Heerlen we remember these two days. The municipality organizes on May 4 in cooperation with Comité 4 en 5 mei Heerlen, Joint Neighborhood Foundations Hoensbroek and SBWM/Viergebrook a memorial meeting in Heerlen and Hoensbroek. On May 5, the Freedom Meal will take place. 

Remembrance Day, Sunday, May 4 

Memorial meeting Heerlen 

Location: Council House, entrance to Council House Square

Program:

  •  6:30 p.m.: Opening with various readings and speeches. Music by the Royal Heerlen Men's Choir St. Pancratius.
  • 7:30 p.m.: silent march to the Memorial Chapel on Akerstraat.
  • 8 p.m.: two minutes of silence.
  • 8:02 p.m.: Ceremony including contributions by Mayor Roel Wever and wreath laying. 

Memorial meeting Hoensbroek

Location: little St. Jan 

Program: 

  • 7:45 p.m.: Opening with speech and music.
  • 8 p.m.: two minutes of silence.
  • 8:02 p.m.: Ceremony including wreath laying and speech by Alderman Martin de Beer.
  • 8:30 p.m.: Closing with the National Anthem and the Limburg national anthem.

Liberation Day, Monday, May 5 

On Liberation Day, Monday, May 5, there are Freedom Meals all over the country. In Heerlen, people may join a large table for the Freedom Meal. In our city, the municipality provides a vegetarian lunch that includes soup and sandwiches. The meal is free. Registration is required. Use this form to sign up. You may also call: 045-5605040. Be quick, because full=full! 

Music, readings and interviews

During lunch we will have musical interludes, readings and interviews, including Danny Pouwels, Frans Pollux, singer-songwriter Mala, Sinti musician Roger Moreno, youth city poet Yana Wings and Bigband Heerlen. Between 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., we will light the Peace Fire on the Pancratius Square. Runners from athletics club AVON collect this fire from Wageningen every year on the night of May 4-5.

Talk of the day: what does freedom mean to you?

With question cards laid out on the table, everyone can talk to each other about freedom and unfreedom. What exactly is freedom? What do May 4 and 5 mean to you? Is your freedom different from someone else's? Is freedom only remembering a war, or is it about more?

Friends and strangers share stories 

Freedom meals are meetings with impact. Friends and strangers join the table and share stories. This new tradition is growing. By 2025, there will be more than 1,000 Freedom Meals throughout the Netherlands. Each with its own character and from large to small. 

Other freedom meals in Heerlen

There are other Freedom Meals in Heerlen. These meals are organized by other initiators. All locations and more information can be found on the Freedom Meals Map on the Freedom Meals website . 

Stay informed

The program is not quite ready yet. In the run up to May 5, you can find the latest news and more information on this page. 

In bad weather

We will hold the Freedom Supper outdoors on Pancratius Square. Should we have to move to another location due to bad weather, we will give notice as early as possible in advance here. 

Organization

The Freedom Meal in Heerlen is an initiative of the National 4 and 5 May Committee. The organization is in the hands of municipality Heerlen, the National 4 and 5 May Committee, Province of Limburg and event agency Eventief.