Prime Minister Dick Schoof emphasized on Sunday that it is important to continue investing in defending the freedom for which the Allies fought so hard in World War II. Unity is therefore important during the upcoming NATO summit, he stated.
That unity during the upcoming NATO summit must show that the sacrifices of the Allies have not been in vain. Schoof said this on Sunday at the annual commemoration at the American military cemetery in Margraten, Limburg. According to him, it is a “moral obligation” that we owe to the fallen soldiers.
We live in a time when we can no longer take peace for granted, Schoof stated. According to him, just remembering is not enough. “How often, in the past decades, have we repeated that freedom is not self-evident?” he wondered. “Today we must recognize that those words entail obligations.”
Among others, Prime Minister Schoof commemorated Memorial Day on Sunday at the cemetery in Margraten. That is the day Americans commemorate all fallen soldiers. Memorial Day is always on the last Monday in May, but in Margraten the commemoration is always organized on the Sunday before.
8,301 American soldiers who fought in World War II are buried in the cemetery in the Limburg village. They were killed, among other places, in the Belgian Ardennes and during the liberation of Limburg.
In addition to Schoof, King Willem-Alexander, Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, and Commander of the Armed Forces Onno Eichelsheim were also present at the commemoration.