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 2021
Candles
Christmas Eve 2018 in Eindhoven
Locations in 2021
Burned candles
Program 24 december 2021
The program is as follows (times are subject to change):
December 24, 2021, De Oude Toren Cemetery, Baffinlaan 1, Eindhoven
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
5:16 pm Lighting of 3 candles for Bill Pendell, Ken Thiis and Menno van de Wetering, these veterans died last year
5:18 pm Last Post followed by 1 minute of silence
5:20 pm Meeting in the auditorium of the Oude Toren participants receive hot chocolate and a stroopwafel (traditional “Dutch Koek-en-Zopie”)
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.
Strijps Kamerkoor
Making beautiful music together, working hard together, stimulating each other in a good atmosphere, that is the Strijps Kamerkoor!
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.