Seventy years ago, during the first days of WO II, the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands was heavily bombed and the devastating result led to the surrender of the Dutch army. Many people died in the resulting fires. After the war the old centre of the city has been rebuilt into a bustling modern city, but still every year on May 14th the bombardment is remembered. The past few years the outline of the fires was illuminated by large spotlights, a very impressive sight!

(photo by J.A. Kok, courtesy mrs. Schouwenaar-Kok and the City Archive of Rotterdam)

May 14, 2010