On 10th May, 2020, the Netherlands marks eighty years since the country was drawn into the Second World War.

Early in the morning on 10th May, 1940, Hitler’s troops invaded the Netherlands. One of their goals was to capture The Hague, the seat of government. After an airborne attack, they managed to capture the three airports around the Hague: Ypenburg, Ockenburg, and Valkenburg. However, the Dutch launched a counter attack in Ypenburg and managed to recapture the airport, in spite of being heavily outnumbered and lacking in equipment.

In the Battle of Ypenburg, near the Hague, around one hundred Dutch soldiers were killed as they recaptured airport at Ypenburg from invading troops. Around one hundred Dutch soldiers died in the attempt, and the airport buildings were destroyed. This victory gave enough time for Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Bernhard, and senior members of the Dutch government, to escape to England.

The Battle of Ypenburg is commemorated every year on 10th May. Emma has been invited to sing at the ceremony, which will be broadcast on the Dutch television channel SBS6 on “Hart van Nederland.”

The ceremony is held at the Ypenburg Monument, which has the inscription “Attacked but not defeated.”

Sunday, 10th May, 14:00, live on SBS6 from the Ypenburg Monument in The Hague, the Netherlands.

On 5th May, 2020, the Dutch celebrate seventy-five years of liberation since the Second World War. Together with guitarist Luc Groen, pianist Huub de Vriend, and the Rev. Margreet Klokke, Emma will participate in a live broadcast for Dutch liberation day.

One of the most famous Dutch citizens of the Second World War was a young girl called Anne Frank. Whilst in hiding in the secret annex, she wrote in her diary that she wanted to become a writer. She is now one of the most internationally-read Dutch writers. Alas, she did not live to know this: she died in Bergen Belsen in 1944.

Anne Frank lived in a much more severe lockdown. In spite of this, she found some sense of inner freedom.

The Rev. Margreet Klokke has organized a beautiful programme about Anne Frank and her diary, including readings by Dutch girls of the same age.

The programme will be streamed on www.sleutelstad.tv at 13:10 on Tuesday, 5th May.

Please note, the main spoken language will be Dutch.

The Dutch have their day of commemoration on 4th May: the last day of the year that the Dutch mainland was occupied in the Second World War before the surrender of the Third Reich forces on May, 1945.

This year marks seventy five years since the end of the Nazi occupation, which was a time of great suffering for the Dutch, especially the hunger winter of 1944-1945 in which around 20,000 people perished.

The 2020 commemorations have been affected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the measures taken to protect the population.

In Leiden, there will be several live broadcasts at the city’s monuments, as well as prerecorded material, so that people at home can still participate in Dutch remembrance traditions.

Emma is really touched to be one of the few people will be present as part of the live broadcasts, singing the Dutch National Anthem, “Het Wilhelmus” at the Haagsche Schouw at 15:00 and “Abide with Me” and “Het Wilhelmus” at the monument De Valk at 19:00.

Both ceremonies will be broadcast on Sleutelstad TV, and can be watched online here.