Memorial Artists Resistance & Daffodil Project

This memorial is located on the Plantage Westermanlaan and is dedicated to resistance member Gerrit van der Veen.

Sculptor Gerrit van der Veen, founder of the magazine "The Free Artist' was with a group of friends active in the resistance. In addition to the robbery of the National Printing Office in The Hague where he came in possession of thousands of blank or printed identity cards, he made numerous of false documents and stamps.

On March 27, 1943 a group of resistance members led by van der Veen committed an armed robbery at the Amsterdam civil registry. During this action an explosion started a fire in one part of the building. Fireman tried to extinguish the fire and hereby a large part of the register was defaced by the water.
Ultimately, twelve members of the resistance arrested and executed on July 1, 1943.
Gerrit van der Veen was able to escape of the Germans and went unabated with its resistance operations.

The text on the monument reads:
ARTISTS RESISTANCE 1940-1945

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING,
NOW THAT YOUR COUNTRY IS BEING TRAPED AND TIED…
GERRIT VAN DER VEEN'.

On May 1, 1944 van der Veen was injured in a robbery at the house of detention at the Wetering Schans. After a gunfight, he was hit in the back by a German bullet. Again van der Veen escaped and went underground. The Germans continued to search for him without prejudice and ultimately he was found on 10 June, 1944. Together with three friends he was executed in the dunes of Wassenaar.

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Source

• Text: Ewoud van Eig, Dick de Bruijne
• Photos: Dick de Bruijne (1, 2, 3), Willem Visser (4, 5)