Yesterday, on April 20, we at the Soviet War Cemetery commemorated the fifteen Georgian soldiers who were shot by the German occupiers in Beverwijk on April 20, 1945. This was followed by a lecture in the evening in the Soviet War Cemetery Experience.
During the commemoration, speeches were given, flowers were laid at the obelisk, candles were placed at the graves, and a minute’s silence was observed.
The Georgian soldiers initially fought against Nazi Germany but were taken prisoner and subsequently pressed into German service. In Beverwijk, they guarded an ammunition depot, where they decided to steal 88 hand grenades for the Dutch resistance. They were caught and executed that very same evening.
Courage and humanity
In his speech, Mayor Gerolf Bouwmeester reflected on the courage of these men.
“Courage is not seeking out danger,” he said, referring to Aristotle, “but defying it when necessary.”
He emphasized that the Georgians made a conscious choice to no longer participate in a war they were not fighting voluntarily. “Their act was more than an attempt to support the resistance — it was a moral statement.” According to the mayor, their story is more urgent than ever, especially today.
Director Remco Reiding also addressed the significance of their story. He outlined the complex choices facing the Georgian soldiers, but ultimately brought the story back to the core: “Whatever they did, whatever uniform they wore — these Georgians were people. Sons, husbands, fathers.”
Lecture on the Georgian battalion
In the evening, historian Serge Blom (Netherlands Institute for Military History) gave a lecture about the Georgian Infantry Battalion 822 ‘Königin Tamara’, to which the soldiers belonged.
During this well-attended meeting, he delved deeper into the background of the battalion and the complex position of Georgian soldiers in German service. He also reflected on the uprising on Texel — the last battle in Europe during the Second World War.
Those present spoke of an impressive and educational evening, which added extra depth to the commemoration earlier that day.
Our thanks go to Serge Blom, the Municipality of Leusden, Lubbertus Brugge, and GWI Auto for making the commemoration and lecture possible.
The speeches can be downloaded below;
