REMEMBER HISTORY
Among the reasons mentioned to remember history are to honour those who played a part in shaping the world we live in and to learn so as not to repeat mistakes. By visiting United Empire Loyalist Cemeteries it has encouraged me to prepare videos and research about them.
The largest of these cemeteries contained several hundred headstones. This week I visited Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery in the Netherlands where there are buried over 31,000 soldiers. It is the biggest cemetery by area with German casualties from war in the world.
Soldiers graves are marked by individual stone monuments with their name, service occupation, and dates of birth and death, when known.
It is a very moving experience to visit. Below is a short video I made. Some of the graves are likely of descendants of Hessians who fought in the American Revolution and returned to Germany after. During WWII Germans were subject to conscription for military service.
Further Reference:
Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery accessed on April 27, 2026
United Empire Loyalist Cemeteries videos by Brian McConnell, UE