Today, on Armistice Day, a peace ceremony is being held in the Sint-Niklaaskerk. Afterwards, a ceremony will take place at the war memorial's new location. The monument, which has undergone a thorough refurbishment, is now surrounded by 66 steel posts, each symbolizing a victim. Attendees will receive a poppy, the international symbol of World War I, at the start of the ceremony.
The program begins at 10:30 AM with the peace ceremony. At 11:00 AM, the ceremony at the war memorial with the official unveiling will commence. A reception follows at 12:00 PM.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the artwork, the book ‘Hemiksem and the First World War’ is also being presented. This publication, a collaboration between the Confederation of Patriotic Associations of Hemiksem (CVGH), Heemkring Heymissen, and the municipality, details daily life, mobilization, aid efforts, the pontoon bridge over the Schelde, soldiers and conscripts, 'den depot', and the memorial monument during World War I.
The book can be purchased at the reception for 10 euros, payable via Payconiq or cash. It will later be available at Heemkring Heymissen and the CVGH. A digital version of an earlier edition from 2016 is also accessible.
