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Lights on Wargraves

 

On Christmas eve all 686 wargraves at the Oude Toren cemetery in Eindhoven get a burning candle.

 

This is happening all over the world to honor the Allies at Christmas. At the cemetery allies were buried who fought during the Second World War to liberate the Netherlands. The burning candles are an initiative of Stichting 18 September and Gravenstichting Brabant. The event is supported by the Sint Joris Gilde Stratum, Lichtjesroute Eindhoven and a few members of the Strijps Kamerkoor.

In 2023

Candles

Christmas Eve 2021 in Eindhoven

Locations in 2023

Burned candles

Program 24 december 2024

The program is as follows (times are subject to change):

December 24, 2024, De Oude Toren Cemetery, Baffinlaan 1, Eindhoven

 

4:15 pm Bells ring from the church

4:30 pm a short welcome word with instruction

4:35 pm Lighting starts, a total of 686 candles

5:10 pm Meeting at Cross of Sacrifice

5:10 pm Short word

5:15 pm Lighting of candles for Joe Cattini, Bill Pendell, Ken Thiis, Denys Hunter and Menno van de Wetering, these veterans pasted away in the last years

5:20 pm Last Post

5:30 pm Unveiling of the Object

 

At the burial grounds, the standard bearers of the Sint Joris Gilde Stratum stand as a guard of honor.

If the weather permits, video recordings are made afterwards using a drone.

Stichting 18 September

From 1945 Eindhoven, as the only city in the Netherlands, organizes a number of historical, cultural and sporting events around the liberation every year.

Gravenstichting Brabant

The goal of the foundation is to encourage and pay attention to the adoption of graves of the allied graves at the cemeteries in Eindhoven.

Sint Joris Gilde Stratum

The Sint Joris Gilde Stratum from Eindhoven is a guild of guards of more than 500 years old, which deals with gunshots, crossbow and archery.

Lichtjesroute Eindhoven

The liberation of Eindhoven by the Allies on 18 September 1944. The soldiers were welcomed by the people of Eindhoven with lights behind the windows.