Few secondary schools in this region will be as busy with the Second World War as Canisius Tubbergen. Which school can now say that it is organizing its own youth conference on the theme of Freedom and Responsibility? Thanks to enthusiastic teachers.

No, says lecturer Mark Veldhuis. According to him, the fact that his school is now paying a lot of attention to the Second World War is not only due to the fact that 75 years of liberation are being celebrated in the Netherlands this year. The war has been receiving the attention it should receive for a long time. The memorial project started four years ago at Canisius. And in the past, a memorial service has already been organized at the war graves at the cemetery in Tubbergen. Every year, school students also participate in the various memorial projects in the region. In addition, over the years, they attended 33 commemorations, fourteen speeches were given by their own students and laid 21 wreaths.

Youth Congress

The school is now preparing for the youth congress. Thanks to Veldhuis and his colleague Ebo van der Laan, who both have an above average interest and knowledge of the Second World War. Veldhuis and team leader Van der Laan cherish the fact that the knowledge of the war is still reasonable among young people in the Netherlands. Just like in countries like Germany and Poland. But Van der Laan visits England regularly and “they don't talk about the war at all”. In the Netherlands, too, that knowledge is slowly declining. Although... “it's not really less, but different...” “They can't be spoon-fed anymore, huh...”

Enthusiasm

But the man at Canisius when it comes to the war is Mark Veldhuis. Born and raised in Tubbergen. When it comes to the war in his village, he has a great deal of knowledge. In the past, the Canisius lecturer has even investigated the crews of allied aircraft that crashed in Tubbergen during the war. And he appears to be able to transfer his enthusiasm about the war to young people. “I am interested in the local history, the village, the personal stories, that interest of mine has always been there. At some point, you'll also start your own research.”

Flyers

Congress is one thing, but there is more. “As part of a project, students at our school are also making flyers about the Second World War for primary schools in Tubbergen,” says Veldhuis. He shows an example for such a flyer. There is a coloring page, a small puzzle and short facts. In this way, primary school children learn about the war in a playful way. Knowledge about the facts and figures of the Second World War may now be somewhat less than, for example, forty years ago, but Veldhuis and Van der Laan are convinced that young people are well aware that today's freedom has required sacrifices, “and that freedom is not self-evident.”

Special guests

The latter is also the theme of the youth conference that will be held at Canisius on 4 April. All young people up to 18 years old from the municipality of Tubbergen can come to the school on the Huyerenseweg for free that day. There are workshops, lectures and there is room for conversation. According to Veldhuis, the purpose of the conference is to keep the conversation going at school about the Second World War. It is also a good way to make young people realize that freedom is vulnerable and not obvious. Not even 75 years after the end of the war. Canisius succeeded in attracting special guests for the conference. Jacques van Trommel and Jeanne Diele-Staal, among others, are coming to Tubbergen. Van Trommel went into hiding as a Jewish child. Jeanne Diele is the daughter of an Almelose NSB member. In her youth, she was confronted with her father's choice. During the conference, attention will also be paid to the Canadian cemetery in Holten, where 1,400 dead soldiers are buried.

Source: https://www.tubantia.nl/tubbergen/tubbergse-school-leert-jeugd-dat-vrijheid-niet-vanzelfsprekend-is~a41a9164/