Members of the Dutch community recounted stories of Gestapo visits, hiding Jews in their homes and other wartime experiences as the Dutch Canadian Tulip Commemoration was held Saturday, May 17 at Veterans Plaza to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi forces.
Speakers included members of Legion branch 43, Dutch survivors and children of those who lived through the occupation, all of whom shared their stories with the local community.
One notable account came from Jos Van Hage, owner and operator of Art Knapp’s and a prominent member of the Prince George Dutch community. Van Hage told the crowd a story about his father, who endured the occupation and helped feed their starving community.
“1944 was one of the worst winters Holland ever had,” said Van Hage. “They would walk 30 miles from Amsterdam just to come back with one sugar beet. My dad couldn’t give it to them because the Germans also had sugar beets that came off the boats. The Germans liked my dad because he had steel and made moonshine. Believe it or not, the Germans loved the moonshine. At night, they would get drunk and sleep in the barn. Then my dad would shave the beets to get a handful of shavings and give them to the people from Amsterdam, who walked back 30 kilometres with just that handful of sugar beet shavings.”
The ceremony also paid tribute to the gift of 100,000 tulip bulbs sent to Canada by the Dutch royal family after the war as a thank-you for sheltering them. An additional 10,000 bulbs have been sent each year since as a symbol of remembrance for the bravery and sacrifice of Canadian troops.
Another story came from Legion 43 president Eric Callaghan, who visited the Netherlands in 2019 and was deeply moved by the respect shown for Canadians and their sacrifices.
“At the end of the day, the Canadians have always been there to help,” said Callaghan. “The Netherlands was one of those places. In 2019, we were at a ceremony in Holland and the construction — everything — stopped when they heard the Canadian anthem. That ceremony went on for 20 minutes. Factory workers, everybody, came to the cemetery, which had about 300 Commonwealth graves. The majority were Canadians. So when you leave Canada, you don’t realize how much people really respect this country. It’s humbling to be there.”
The event follows the recent announcement of May 5 being declared Dutch Liberation Day in Prince George.
Former MLA and member of the local Dutch community Shirley Bond helped organize the event and told The Citizen that it drew one of the largest turnouts she has seen.
“We are so excited today because this is probably one of the best crowds we’ve had,” said Bond. “It’s a rainy Saturday on a long weekend in Prince George, and I think it gives us hope that there’s a heart to remember. That’s why we continue this process. We’ve had great partners, and we’re grateful for the media, the city and others who have told our story. We’re just thankful to see so many people come out, stop and take a moment on a busy long weekend to remember and be grateful.”
Bond said she was especially moved by the stories shared and hopes they won’t be forgotten.
“What’s most important to the Dutch community is that there’s an ongoing opportunity to remember, reflect and say thank you,” she said. “Today we heard stories — ones we hear again and again — about how moved people were by the Canadian soldiers. They brought food and, most importantly, freedom. I think what the Dutch community really wants is to say thank you and to encourage people to keep sharing the stories, so that memory isn’t forgotten.”
Bond also told The Citizen that there are ongoing discussions with the city to make the tulips outside Veterans Plaza a permanent part of Prince George’s gardening program.
She added that locals can support the celebrations and the maintenance of the tulip beds through donations.
“We have a fund now open at Art Knapp’s,” said Bond. “They’ve been wonderful in helping us with the tulips over the years. People can make a donation — for example, I make one in memory of my mom. There are ways to do that to ensure this ceremony and the tulip commemoration continue. We’d be grateful for that support.”
