Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Damage done by the German bombardment of Rotterdam on 14 May 1940
Damage done by the German bombardment of Rotterdam on 14 May 1940 - Credit: Photo: Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed/Wikimedia Commons
Politics
Rotterdam
Rotterdam blitz
Rotterdam bombardment
WWII
Nazi
Germany
Ahmed Aboutaleb
Tuesday, 14 May 2019 - 15:00
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Rotterdam Blitz commemorated on 79th anniversary of WWII bombardment

On Tuesday Rotterdam commemorated the 79th anniversary of the Rotterdam Blitz, the German bombardment of the city during the Second World War. "We are still for two minutes. Out of respect for the biggest sacrifice that a person can make: his or her life", Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said about the two minutes of silence. "They did that for our freedom. We walk in their footsteps."

On May 14th, 1940, a German air raid dropped over 150 bombs in the heart of Rotterdam. During the 12 minute long raid nearly 100 thousand kilograms of bombs were dropped on the city. The bombing leveled a large part of the historic city center. Nearly 900 people were killed. The bombs and the sea of fire that ensued left around 80 thousand people homeless.

Earlier that morning the Germans gave Dutch colonel Pieter Scharroo a letter stating: "Surrender or your city will be destroyed". The bombardment happened while the German and Dutch officers were still negotiating the surrender of Rotterdam.

The city held two commemorations on Tuesday. The first happened on Statenweg, at the monument for Statenweg 147, at 10:00 a.m. The house on Statenweg 147 was the headquarters for the Dutch troops in Rotterdam. It was in this house that colonel Scharroo received the threatening letter from the Germans.

At 1:00 p.m. the central city commemoration of the bombardment was held on Plein 1940, at the monument 'The destroyed city' by Ossip Zadkine. Two minutes of silence were held at 1:30 p.m. All the church bells in the area affected by the bombardment and fire rang from 1:27 p.m. to 1:39 p.m.

The bombardment, and its consequences for archeology, will be discussed on NOS news at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

Kijk vanavond om 20:00 uur naar het @NOS -journaal: Item over het bombardement op #Rotterdam en de gevolgen voor #archeologie. Speciale aandacht gaat uit naar het project Bright/ #OurDomain.
Op de 1e foto: collega Ton Guiran met @LexrunNOS op de @Laurenskerk @Rotterdam pic.twitter.com/Xy9TZ30oTI

— Archeologie Rotterdam (@Archeologie010) May 13, 2019

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Covid vaccine effectiveness falls to 0% a year after first series
  • Three life sentences in Caloh Wagoh assassinations trial
  • Skyrocketing interest in campers due to chaos at Dutch airports
  • Covid infections may be stabilizing at new peak, but hospital total jumps 20 percent
  • Nature reserve destroyed in farmer protest; Grocers lose millions in revenue
  • Warm temps mean more wasps in the Netherlands this summer

Top stories

  • Covid infections may be stabilizing at new peak, but hospital total jumps 20 percent
  • Bisexual people often victims of violence; Situation not improving
  • Delayed care in Covid cost at least 320,000 years of life: RIVM
  • Farmers' protests: Some 15 arrested at distribution blockades, 200 fined on highways
  • Over 350 monkeypox cases diagnosed in the Netherlands so far; First child tests positive
  • Police arrest new suspect for directing murder of journalist Peter R. de Vries

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content