Today marks Remembrance Day

Not everywhere.

November 11
November 11, the 11th of the 11th, was an important date. November 11 is exactly 40 days before December 21, the shortest day. This happens to be the feast day of sint Maarten (st. Martin's day). This day is celebrated in some parts of Groningen, North Holland and the southern part of Limburg and to a lesser extent in South Holland and Zeeland. This feast is the beginning of the dark period before christmas and the long days of winter.[1]

For centuries, November 11, was the day that the year's work was deemed to be done. The barns were filled for the winter, the selected livestock would have been slaughtered and very importantly: the lease, property taxes, interests, and tithe were to be paid. These often weighed very heavily on the population. A year of scraping, frugality and putting every penny aside, would end after the payment on 11 November.

In both the Rhenish and the Burgundian carnaval 11-11 plays an important role. At 11-11 is the first of court meetings by the Council of Eleven held in preparation for the upcoming carnaval. During this meeting will also the new Prince be announced. In Brabant at the same meeting the new carnaval mottos are disclosed by the prince. Also it is the start of the building of the carnaval floats for the coming parade.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_in_the_Netherlands#November_11

 

11.11. 11:11 the traditional carnival starting date / time

we already had the Saint Martin celebrations on the last friday ... because honestly it needs to be straight before a weekend because cheap wine does what it does best: delivering massive headaches

Now back to eating speculatius ... the food of the gods

 

Based on a real event, although a movie, I think of old Ryan in Saving Private Ryan experiencing survivors guilt asking his wife if he led a good life, in essence a worthy life for the sacrifice of thousands of young men and he was there. Today I percieve a disconnect among the general populace which needs to be restored.

 

Happy Veteran's Day to all who have served honorably for their respective countries!

 

Wow, that's amazing. From the aerial view it looks like it would be the blood shed during the war too. Very sobering.

 

Impressive and a great idea!

 

Unintentionally, I've finally got round to watching "Band of Brothers" in the last week. Just seen ep6 and it really is eye opening.

I have so much respect for the guys fighting in the war back then. Really was horrendous.

 

I watch Band of Brothers every year beginning today. It never gets old.

 

The 11 November is just one day in the year.

I think the greatest tribute to the fallen of WWI is daily in Ieper, at the Menin Gate, first started in 1928.

The Last post is played by the Fire Service.

http://www.lastpost.be/nl/home

 

Have you been to see it? Was thinking about taking a trip up there (i'm near Brighton). Looks epic.

 

You do it One day these do it 365 days

Do you have any idea what the Menin Gate Tribute is, these people do this in remembrance of the fallen of WWI EVERYDAY.



Every day this ceremony takes place, it lasts about 45 minutes, it's been going on since 1928, only stopping for WWII, but the day Ieper was liberated it was business as usually and the ceremony took place.

 

The Menin gate tribute is well known here in the UK. It often features heavily on the news (particularly today). I also don't understand this talk of any other day, carnivals etc in the context of the OP's post.

I think too, perhaps, the whole Poppy appeal thing isn't translating very well if it's being compared to the Menin gate service.

The poppy is a symbol of hope - it was the only flower that grew in the churned up cornfields. No matter how many shells exploded, men were killed a flower could still grow. The wearing of artificial ones was was, in a pre-welfare state age, an attempt to give wounded and maimed men who fought some income and self respect. Veterans of the conflict who could find no other work were employed to make poppies that members of the public would buy and wear in the run up to armistice day.

All monies raised go to supporting them, other veterans and their families. When we buy a poppy we're not remembering a war as such - we're continuing the tradition of trying to offer a future to someone who otherwise might have lost theirs.

 

I must say that it was special remembrance, It was shown here on TV.

 

I was just pointing out that not every body has remembrance day on the 11 Nov.

The Netherlands didn't even fight the WWI war, we have a day of the dead on 4 May for WWII.

But for many people around the world/Europe 11 Nov is just a normal day.

It also happens to be the start of the Carnaval season, it has been the start for Carnaval season for hundreds of years. It's the same every year, 11-11 is a magic number to Carnaval clubs

It's also the day of St Martin, when children come to your door to sing, they then get sweets.

Nobody was trying to be disrespectful, I was just answering Jeremy h question.

Lets just leave at that.

 

Well onward to remembering the old veterans of my family who made their sacrifices against italy in 1917 in WW1 and those who survived WW2:

*My grandfather was severly injured by artillery splinters when serving on the western front and then went into a POW while still injured.
*One of his older brothers fought first in Finland in an artillery unit until he lost of of his fingers, and then on the eastern front untill the end. Just days before the armistice deserted with a friend and drove back home on a bike over 300 miles.
*The older brother of my grandmother survived in center of the eastern front and was taken prisoner winter 1944.
He returned 1955 after 10 years of gulag somewhere in sibiria.

 

Talking about WWII, I trump you all I WAS BORN IN 1944.