National Monument (Amsterdam)
Encyclopedia
The National Monument is a 1956 World War II
monument on Dam Square
in Amsterdam
. A national Remembrance of the Dead
(Dodenherdenking) ceremony is held at the monument every year on 4 May to commemorate the casualties of World War II and subsequent armed conflicts.
, and the monument's sculptures are by John Rädecker and his sons Han and Jan Willem Rädecker. The relief
s are by the sculptor Paul Grégoire.
The central element of the monument is a concrete conical pillar 22 metres in height, covered entirely by white travertine
stone. On the front of the pillar is a relief entitled De Vrede ("Peace"), consisting of four chained male figures, representing the suffering endured during the war. To either side of these central figures are two male sculptures representing members of the Dutch resistance
, the left figure symbolizing the resistance by the intelligentsia
and the right figure symbolizing the resistance by the working classes. Weeping dogs are at their feet, representing suffering and loyalty. Above the central relief is a sculpture of a woman with a child in her arms and doves flying around her, representing victory, peace, and new life. A relief of the back side of the pillar shows doves ascending into the sky, symbolizing the liberation.
The monument is placed on a series of concentric rings, forming steps up to the monument. In front of the monument, on either side, are two sculptures of lions on circular pedestals, symbolizing the Netherlands. A semicircular wall surrounds the back side of the monument. The wall contains eleven urns with soil from World War II execution grounds and war cemeteries in each of the Dutch provinces. Three years later, a twelfth urn was added with soil from the Dutch East Indies
, present-day Indonesia.
The pillar carries an inscription in Latin:
Hic ubi cor patriae monumentum cordibus intus
quod gestant cives spectet ad astra dei.
(freely translated: "Here, where the heart of the fatherland is, may this monument, which citizens carry in their heart, gaze at God's stars")
The wall behind the pillar also carries a Dutch-language inscription, a text by the poet Adriaan Roland Holst
. On the back side of the wall is an inscription of a verse of Dutch poetry by Anthonie Donker, a pseudonym of N.A. Donkersloot.
is the historic centre of the Dutch national capital of Amsterdam. Until 1914 a different national monument stood on the Dam, De Eendacht or popularly Naatje van de Dam, commemmorating the Ten Days' Campaign.
Shortly after the end of World War II in 1945, a liberty pole
was erected on Dam Square. The Dutch government proposed that a permanent national World War II monument be placed there. While planning was ongoing, a temporary monument was erected on the Dam in 1947, designed by A.J. van de Steur and Auke Komter. It consisted of 11 urns with soil from World War II execution grounds and war cemeteries in each of the Dutch provinces. Three years later, a twelfth urn was added with soil from the Dutch East Indies
, now Indonesia.
Meanwhile, a private initiative to erect a World War II monument had started. John Rädecker was commissioned to design the monument, and his designs were exhibited in 1946 at the Stedelijk Museum
. Mayor Arnold Jan d'Ailly decided to consolidate the plans and build the privately funded monument on Dam Square, using Rädecker's designs. The architect J.J.P. Oud was contracted to work together with Rädecker on the monument. The final design was approved by the Dutch government in 1952. Rädecker suffered from increasingly worsening health (he died four months before the monument was revealed), and his sons Han and Jan Willem Rädecker stepped in to complete the project.
The National Monument was finally revealed on 4 May 1956 by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the National Monument, which dominates the eastern half of Dam Square, became a gathering place for hippie
s, who saw the monument as a symbol of liberty. Every night, a sizeable crowd of people slept around the monument in sleeping bags. On 24 August 1970, the municipal government banned Damslapen ("Dam sleeping"). This incited rioting on Dam Square which continued until the next day, when the square was cleared by off-duty marines
. The hippies then relocated to the Vondelpark
.
The monument has undergone two restorations, in 1965 and in 1997–1998. During the restoration in the 1990s, the entire monument was disassembled, and the brick interior of the central pillar was replaced with concrete.
In 2007 a wheelchair ramp was added to the monument. On 14 August 2009, the monument gained rijksmonument
status.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
monument on Dam Square
Dam Square
Dam Square, or simply the Dam is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the most well-known and important locations in the city.- Location and description :...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. A national Remembrance of the Dead
Remembrance of the Dead
Remembrance of the Dead is held annually on May 4 in the Netherlands. It commemorates all civilians and members of the armed forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who have died in wars or peacekeeping missions since the outbreak of World War II....
(Dodenherdenking) ceremony is held at the monument every year on 4 May to commemorate the casualties of World War II and subsequent armed conflicts.
Design
The monument was designed by Dutch architect J.J.P. OudJacobus Oud
Jacobus Johannes Pieter Oud, commonly called J. J. P. Oud was a Dutch architect. His fame began as a follower of the De Stijl movement....
, and the monument's sculptures are by John Rädecker and his sons Han and Jan Willem Rädecker. The relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
s are by the sculptor Paul Grégoire.
The central element of the monument is a concrete conical pillar 22 metres in height, covered entirely by white travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
stone. On the front of the pillar is a relief entitled De Vrede ("Peace"), consisting of four chained male figures, representing the suffering endured during the war. To either side of these central figures are two male sculptures representing members of the Dutch resistance
Dutch resistance
Dutch resistance to the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II can be mainly characterized by its prominent non-violence, summitting in over 300,000 people in hiding in the autumn of 1944, tended to by some 60,000 to 200,000 illegal landlords and caretakers and tolerated knowingly...
, the left figure symbolizing the resistance by the intelligentsia
Intelligentsia
The intelligentsia is a social class of people engaged in complex, mental and creative labor directed to the development and dissemination of culture, encompassing intellectuals and social groups close to them...
and the right figure symbolizing the resistance by the working classes. Weeping dogs are at their feet, representing suffering and loyalty. Above the central relief is a sculpture of a woman with a child in her arms and doves flying around her, representing victory, peace, and new life. A relief of the back side of the pillar shows doves ascending into the sky, symbolizing the liberation.
The monument is placed on a series of concentric rings, forming steps up to the monument. In front of the monument, on either side, are two sculptures of lions on circular pedestals, symbolizing the Netherlands. A semicircular wall surrounds the back side of the monument. The wall contains eleven urns with soil from World War II execution grounds and war cemeteries in each of the Dutch provinces. Three years later, a twelfth urn was added with soil from the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, present-day Indonesia.
The pillar carries an inscription in Latin:
Hic ubi cor patriae monumentum cordibus intus
quod gestant cives spectet ad astra dei.
(freely translated: "Here, where the heart of the fatherland is, may this monument, which citizens carry in their heart, gaze at God's stars")
The wall behind the pillar also carries a Dutch-language inscription, a text by the poet Adriaan Roland Holst
Adriaan Roland Holst
Adriaan Roland Holst was a Dutch writer, nicknamed the "Prince of Dutch Poets". He was the second winner, in 1948, of the Constantijn Huygens Prize...
. On the back side of the wall is an inscription of a verse of Dutch poetry by Anthonie Donker, a pseudonym of N.A. Donkersloot.
History
Dam SquareDam Square
Dam Square, or simply the Dam is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the most well-known and important locations in the city.- Location and description :...
is the historic centre of the Dutch national capital of Amsterdam. Until 1914 a different national monument stood on the Dam, De Eendacht or popularly Naatje van de Dam, commemmorating the Ten Days' Campaign.
Shortly after the end of World War II in 1945, a liberty pole
Liberty pole
A liberty pole is a tall wooden pole, often used as a type of flagstaff, planted in the ground, which may be surmounted by an ensign or a liberty cap. They are associated with the Atlantic Revolutions of the late 18th century.-American Revolution:...
was erected on Dam Square. The Dutch government proposed that a permanent national World War II monument be placed there. While planning was ongoing, a temporary monument was erected on the Dam in 1947, designed by A.J. van de Steur and Auke Komter. It consisted of 11 urns with soil from World War II execution grounds and war cemeteries in each of the Dutch provinces. Three years later, a twelfth urn was added with soil from the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, now Indonesia.
Meanwhile, a private initiative to erect a World War II monument had started. John Rädecker was commissioned to design the monument, and his designs were exhibited in 1946 at the Stedelijk Museum
Stedelijk Museum
Founded in 1874, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is a museum for classic modern and contemporary art in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It has been housed on the Paulus Potterstraat, next to Museum Square Museumplein and to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the Concertgebouw, in Amsterdam Zuid...
. Mayor Arnold Jan d'Ailly decided to consolidate the plans and build the privately funded monument on Dam Square, using Rädecker's designs. The architect J.J.P. Oud was contracted to work together with Rädecker on the monument. The final design was approved by the Dutch government in 1952. Rädecker suffered from increasingly worsening health (he died four months before the monument was revealed), and his sons Han and Jan Willem Rädecker stepped in to complete the project.
The National Monument was finally revealed on 4 May 1956 by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the National Monument, which dominates the eastern half of Dam Square, became a gathering place for hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
s, who saw the monument as a symbol of liberty. Every night, a sizeable crowd of people slept around the monument in sleeping bags. On 24 August 1970, the municipal government banned Damslapen ("Dam sleeping"). This incited rioting on Dam Square which continued until the next day, when the square was cleared by off-duty marines
Netherlands Marine Corps
The Korps Mariniers is the marine corps and amphibious infantry component of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The marines are trained to operate anywhere in the world in all environments, under any condition and circumstance, as a rapid reaction force. The Korps Mariniers can be deployed to a given...
. The hippies then relocated to the Vondelpark
Vondelpark
The Vondelpark is a public urban park of 47 hectares in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located in the stadsdeel Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, west from the Leidseplein and the Museumplein. The park was opened in 1865 and originally named the "Nieuwe Park", but later renamed to "Vondelpark", after the 17th...
.
The monument has undergone two restorations, in 1965 and in 1997–1998. During the restoration in the 1990s, the entire monument was disassembled, and the brick interior of the central pillar was replaced with concrete.
In 2007 a wheelchair ramp was added to the monument. On 14 August 2009, the monument gained rijksmonument
Rijksmonument
A rijksmonument is a National Heritage Site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.-History and criteria:...
status.
See also
- World War II memorials and cemeteries in the NetherlandsWorld War II memorials and cemeteries in the Netherlands-Dutch war graves:In the Netherlands, about 9,000 war graves are located.* Field of Honour Loenen - 4,000 soldiers and civilians* Field of Honour Grebbeberg - 800 soldiers...