Dag Hammarskjöld Crash Site Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Crash Site marks the place of the plane crash in which Dag Hammarskjöld
, the second and then-incumbent United Nations Secretary General (1953–1961) was killed on the 17th September, 1961, while on a mission to the Congo Republic (now Democratic Republic of the Congo
). The Site is located 10 km from Ndola
, in the Copperbelt Province
of Zambia
.
A road was built to the crash site, and a memorial
was constructed, after Zambia
gained its independence in 1964.
Coordinates: 12°58.4935' S Lat., 28°31.3589' E Long., 10 km south-west of Ndola on the Dag Hammarskjoeld memorial access road from Ndola-Kitwe Dual carriage way.
Göran Björkdahl interviewed several witnesses around the crash site in the 2000s and studied archival documents related to the Katanga crisis. He wrote in 2011 that he believed Dag Hammarskjöld
's death was a murder committed in part to benefit mining companies like Union Minière
World Heritage Tentative List on June 11, 1997 in the Cultural category.
Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat, economist, and author. An early Secretary-General of the United Nations, he served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. He is the only person to have been awarded a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize. Hammarskjöld...
, the second and then-incumbent United Nations Secretary General (1953–1961) was killed on the 17th September, 1961, while on a mission to the Congo Republic (now Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
). The Site is located 10 km from Ndola
Ndola
Ndola is the third largest city in Zambia, with a population of 495,000 . It is the industrial, commercial, on the Copperbelt, Zambia's copper-mining region, and capital of Copperbelt Province. It is also the commercial capital city of Zambia and has one of the three international airports, others...
, in the Copperbelt Province
Copperbelt Province
Copperbelt Province in Zambia covers the mineral-rich Copperbelt, and farming and bush areas to the south. It was the backbone of the Northern Rhodesian economy during British colonial rule and fuelled the hopes of the immediate post-independence period, but its economic importance was severely...
of Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
.
Site description
The Dag Hammarskjöld Crash site was declared a national monument under notice number 14 of 1970 as a historical landmark. In 1964 the Dag Hammarskjoeld Foundation Committee was formed to ensure that the memory of this world statesman lives forever in the country where he met his tragedy. At the Crash site a memorial garden was established with a cairn at the centre and a lawn around it with a belt of shrubs and trees on the outer circle. A museum was constructed and official opened at the site in 1981. The museum exhibits some remains of the tragic accident. The museum is also used for collecting materials and books on the life of Dag Hammarskjoeld and the role of the United Nations.
A road was built to the crash site, and a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
was constructed, after Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
gained its independence in 1964.
Coordinates: 12°58.4935' S Lat., 28°31.3589' E Long., 10 km south-west of Ndola on the Dag Hammarskjoeld memorial access road from Ndola-Kitwe Dual carriage way.
Göran Björkdahl interviewed several witnesses around the crash site in the 2000s and studied archival documents related to the Katanga crisis. He wrote in 2011 that he believed Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat, economist, and author. An early Secretary-General of the United Nations, he served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. He is the only person to have been awarded a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize. Hammarskjöld...
's death was a murder committed in part to benefit mining companies like Union Minière
Union Minière
Union Minière can refer to:*Union Minière du Haut Katanga , a mining company operating in Africa prior to 1966*Umicore, a Belgian metals company and successor to UMHK, which traded as Union Minière prior to 1999...
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on June 11, 1997 in the Cultural category.