Memorial 'The Story' Vries

With these sculptures, Natasja Bennink (50) from Ezinge and fellow sculptor Gert Sennema (62) from Grijpskerk want to raise awareness of the Women's March of 1945, which is still unknown to many. The five sculptures symbolise the suffering of that time. They depict women in resistance and oppression. It could be the story of one woman or a group of women. And it is a journey from darkness to light, when they were released. But it is not all joy and happiness; for many, there was suffering and sadness upon their return home.
In Vries, there is a bookshelf at the Meeting House near the church. It contains the diaries and stories of the women. The context of all the images is very intimate and domestic. After all, the women kept thinking about coming home.
There are a few diaries, but there is so much more than what is written. There is much we do not know. And we can hardly imagine the fear and panic of that time.

Surviving relatives often did not know what had happened. The resistance work was secret. After the war, women spoke little about it. More attention was paid to the male resistance work. Apparently, that was seen as tougher. Natasja Bennink therefore sees the images as a form of emancipation.

Read the story of the women's march at: - https://www.groningen4045.nl/75-verhalen/gem-westerkwartier-eindpunt-vrouwenmars

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