Almost forgotten, luitenant Koenders

Rotterdam Daily Photo: Almost forgotten, luitenant Koenders
Rotterdam Daily Photo: Almost forgotten, luitenant Koenders

I drive past this place almost every day and I always thought to walk there to see for whom or what the memorial plate is. This is the text: “On May 14, 1940, our comrade First Lieutenant Koenders gave his life for the fatherland at this place. In grateful memory, IV battalion, 15 Infantry Regiment and Burgerwacht van Rotterdam”.

Every 4th May, a small wreath and some flowers are laid to commemorate. With only a few people and in the weeks after that no one at all thought about what happened. Almost forgotten.