Text and pictures by John Dunkelgrün.
On May 17th the Embassy of The United States and the O.A.R. (Overseas Americans Remember) hosted a reception to celebrate the 227th anniversary of the Dutch recognition of The United States. The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was the first state to do so and thus the American-Dutch bond became the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship between the United States and any other country.
The jovial Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Pete Hoekstra, greeted his guests himself , personally standing outside his residence. Dutch American Friendship Day, an initiative of Mrs. Roberta Enschedé, was established by Congress and signed into law by President Reagan on April 19th, 1982. Roberta in her speech memorized the many similarities between The Netherlands and The United States like the similarity of the Declaration of Independence and the “Acte van Verlatinge” with which the Dutch repudiated the rule of the King of Spain and became a republic.
Two men were awarded the Certificate of Appreciation from “Americans Overseas Remember” for their service to the United States, Mr. Sander Voogel and Mr. Wiel Lenders.
Mr. Voogel, chief of the fire brigadeWassenaar was honored because he saved a woman and her two children from a burning house while on a learning mission to Detroit late last year.
Mr. Lenders, Director of the National Liberation Museum in Groesbeek was honored because of his efforts to keep the memory alive of the thousands of the 82nd American Airborne Division and other Allied soldiers who took part in the hardly known aerial attack on the German forces around Nijmegen. This was the successful “Operation Market Garden” counterpart of the doomed attack on Arnhem. It is important because the liberated area around Nijmegen became the base from which allied troops under General James Gavin launched the final push towards Berlin.
The “Bevrijdingsmuseum” is being expanded and will be housed in a spectacular 12-meter high building in the shape of a parachute. It will be ready for next years 75th anniversary of the liberation of The Netherlands. In Mr. Lenders words the new space will not only keep the memory alive of “how we got there” and “how we got out of it”, but on “how to avoid it happening again”.
Both recognitions were important illustrations of the bonds between The United States and The Netherlands.
