Victory demonstrations in Holland

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Demonstration in Alkmaar

"In 1945, the triangular lawn between Ferdinand Bolstraat, Rembrandtstraat and Van der Helststraat in Alkmaar marked the boundary of the western city. From that point they looked over the polder to the dunes of Egmond. Shortly after the liberation, on Friday, May 25, 1945, Canadian army units held a spectacular military demonstration on this lawn. Not long before, they had been massively welcomed as liberators. The Canadian captain invited all Alkmaarders, in particular mayor Kinschot and wife, to come and look at all kinds of heavy war equipment that had all been made in Canada. The Canadian men who marched past had an enormous track record; they had fought as a division in Africa, in Sicily, in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Real veterans, to whom we owe a lot! Now in peacetime they showed what they could do with their material with the message and wish "may it never be used for its actual destiny!". The amateur amateur film maker Wagenaar from Alkmaar was there and made a short cinematic impression."

See the footage on youtube: https://youtu.be/S_mx3OcpDmI


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Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...0-fe4fe1e5b815