Candles light the names on the 1394 graves of the Canadian Cemetery in Holten

"Christmas cannot have a proper start if we have not been here first”. These words by the mayor of Rijssen-Holten, Arco Hofland, made clear how big a part of Holten the lights night on the Canadian cemetery has become.

Finn Klein Velderman from Holten and Erik de Wilde from Haskerhorne, together with Mayor Hofland, placed the first memory lights on the grave of Gaele Visser, in the presence of about a thousand visitors.

Native country

This young man, born in Haskerhorn in the province of Friesland, emigrated to Canada in the thirties, and returned during the second World War to liberate his native country. He died a couple of weeks prior to the German capitulation.

After Erik and Finn, observed by a crowd of around a thousand people present, had placed the first memory light, other schoolkids put memory candles on the remaining 1393 graves as well.

Tradition

The lighs night was first held in Holten in 1991.This tradition from Finland has now also been taken over by the fields of honor in Bergen op Zoom and Groesbeek.

Marc Fraser, chairman of the Holten Foundation Celebration National Holidays, expressed these well-chosen words: ”The light of the candle illuminates the name of each soldier. This way, we keep their memory alive”.

Photos: www.canadesebegraafplaatsholten.nl//nl/kerstavond-2019 

Source: www.destentor.nl/rijssen-holten/kaarsjes-verlichten-de-namen-op-de-1394-graven-van-de-canadese-begraafplaats-in-holten