Chinese War Graves Kolebra Bèrdè

On the Kolebra Bèrdè cemetery in Kas Chikitu (Willemstad, Curacao), an unconsecrated burial ground for unbelievers and sinners, 3 Dutch war graves can be found of Chinese merchant sailors who died when their ships were torpedoed during World War II.

The graves used to be marked by nothing more than a memorial cross with a number. Since 2017 commemorative name plaques with names and dates of the deceased have been placed at the feet of the crosses. Responsible is the Stichting Eerherstel Oorlogsslachtoffers Curaçao (SEOC; Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Curacao War Victims). The SEOC has been maintaining and caring for the cemetery and its graves (also see: Mass grave Chinese sailors Kolebra Bèrdè) since 2003. Also since 2017 the SEOC organizes a separate Remembrance Day ceremony on may 4th for these war victims, because at present they have not been incorporated in the official may 4th Remembrance Day ceremony on Curacao.

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Source

• Text: Peter-Jan Vermeij
• Photos: Fedor de Vries (1,2) Coenraad Pietersz (3,4,5)