On May 14, 1940, four days after the German invasion, Rotterdam was destroyed by a Nazi bombing that led to the surrender of the Netherlands. In just 15 minutes, the historic city center was reduced to rubble.
Fun Run
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the bombing in 2015, the mayor of Rotterdam permitted over 1,800 people to run along the fire boundary (Brandgrens) – this is a 12,5 km long line between destruction (new) and preservation (old) in the forever scarred city center. This shocking decision caused outrage, especially since such a ‘fun run’ would never be allowed in cities like Warsaw (September 24), Coventry (November 14), Hiroshima (August 6), or Dresden (February 13).
Commemoration
In protest, Erik van Loon has organized an annual commemoration since 2015 where dozens of Rotterdammers recite poems on street corners along the fire boundary. This keeps the memory of the victims alive and calls for an end to bombings worldwide in their name.
Four Days in May
Since 2024, through our ‘Four Days in May’ initiative, we’ve been raising awareness internationally about the Rotterdam bombing and other affected cities worldwide. Last year, we used Gregory Corso’s poem ‘Vision of Rotterdam’ in Rome, Zurich, Paris, and Rotterdam to highlight the global impact of bombings. This year, we’ll honor the horrors of bombings worldwide with Bertolt Brecht’s poem ‘Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib?’ in Berlin (May 11), Warsaw (May 12), and Rotterdam (May 14).
“Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib?”
(What Did the Soldier’s Wife Receive?)
Read and listen to the poem below
In our festival guide, you’ll find Brecht’s poem, a short biography, and details about all events we’re organizing in Berlin (May 11), Warsaw (May 12), and Rotterdam (May 14) to stop bombings worldwide!
Just repeat it!
Stop bombings NOW!
Until May 14,
Erik van Loon
Foundation May 14
P.S. On May 11 till 14, there will also be an opportunity to sign the Anti-Aircraft Bomb Treaty.
Below, this video of Hanns Eisler singing ‘Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib?’ you can find Bertolt Brecht world-famous poem about ao Rotterdam.
Below, you will find the poem in German along with links to translations in 10 European languages. If your father, mother, or grandparents abroad do not speak or barely speak English or Dutch, send them the translation and let them share in our history.
Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib?
Ballad Of The Soldier’s Wife
(In Dutch | Italian | Polish | French | Portuguese | German | Greek | Ukrainian | Arabic | Japanese | Romanian | Esperanto | Turkish)
By Bertolt Brecht
(10 February 1898, Augsburg – 14 August 1956, East Berlin)
What was sent to the soldier’s wife
From the ancient city of Prague
From Prague came a pair of high heeled shoes
With a kiss or two came the high heeled shoes
From the ancient city of Prague
What was sent to the soldier’s wife
From Oslo over the Sund
From Oslo there came a collar of fur
How it pleases her, little collar of fur
From Oslo over the Sund
What was sent to the soldier’s wife
From the wealth of Rotterdam
From Rotterdam he got her a hat
She looked sweet in that, in the little dutch hat
From the wealth of Rotterdam
What was sent to the soldier’s wife
From Brussels in Belgium land
From Brussels he sent her laces so rare
To have and to wear, oh those laces so rare
From Brussels in Belgium land
What was sent to the soldier’s wife
From Paris city of light
In Paris he got her a silken gown
T’was end in town, oh silken gown
From Paris city of light
What was sent to the soldier’s wife
From the south of Bucharest
From Bucharest he sent her his shirt
Embroidered and pert, that Rumanian shirt
From the south of Bucharest
What was sent to the soldier’s wife
From far off Russian land
From Russia there came just a widow’s veil
From a death to be wed in a widow’s veil
From far off Russian land