Daijiworld Media Network - USA

USA, Dec 30: The removal of information panels recognising Black American soldiers at a US military cemetery in the southern Netherlands has triggered widespread criticism from Dutch officials, families of fallen soldiers and local residents.

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), a US government agency, quietly removed two displays from the visitors’ centre at the American Cemetery in Margraten earlier this year. The cemetery is the final resting place of around 8,300 US soldiers who died during World War II.

The decision followed a series of executive orders issued by US President Donald Trump ending diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes. The removal was carried out without public explanation, prompting visitors to record objections in the cemetery’s guestbook.

One of the removed panels highlighted the story of George H. Pruitt, a 23-year-old Black soldier buried at Margraten, who died in 1945 while attempting to rescue a fellow soldier. The other explained the racial segregation policy enforced in the US military during World War II.

US Ambassador to the Netherlands Joe Popolo appeared to back the move, stating on social media that the displays were not meant to promote an agenda critical of America. He later declined to comment further.

Historians note that nearly one million Black soldiers served in the US military during World War II, mostly in segregated units. An all-Black unit was tasked with digging thousands of graves at Margraten during the harsh winter of 1944–45, known as the Hunger Winter.

The decision has angered many, including Cor Linssen, son of a Black US soldier and a Dutch mother, who said the panels represented an important but often overlooked part of history. “They should put the panels back,” he said.

Documents obtained through US Freedom of Information Act requests by media outlets revealed that Trump’s DEI policies directly influenced the removal. The ABMC earlier claimed the segregation panel did not fall within its “commemorative mission” and said the Pruitt panel was merely “rotated out”.

Dutch senator Theo Bovens, chair of the Black Liberators foundation, termed the move “strange” and said his organisation was not informed despite advocating for the panels’ installation in 2024. Both the local city and provincial authorities have formally demanded that the displays be restored.

Thousands of local residents continue to honour the fallen US soldiers by adopting graves, a tradition passed down through generations. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to find a permanent location in the Netherlands to commemorate the contributions of Black American soldiers who helped liberate Europe from Nazi occupation.

Historians warn that removing such displays risks erasing the sacrifices of soldiers of colour. “It follows a historical pattern of writing out their stories,” author Linda Hervieux said, stressing the need to preserve this chapter of World War II history.