Congratulations to Fred, the Find a Grave® featured volunteer of the month for October 2021! We’d like to recognize Fred for his work memorializing soldiers and civilians who died during World War II who are interred in the Netherlands.
Fred has spent many hours taking pictures and adding them to memorials, particularly in the German war cemetery at Ysselsteyn. Fred explains that, “The goal of these memorials is to be a tribute to the fallen soldiers and civilians. These memorials don’t include fascist ideas and they don’t glorify war. They should honor the fallen and they should remind those still alive that peace is the greatest good on earth.”
Fred says, “I have always been interested in everything relating to the Second World War. From collecting memorabilia like helmets and insignia to visiting different War cemeteries around Europe. This eventually led me to finding out about Find a Grave through Google many years ago. To my surprise, lots of descendants and relatives all over the world started reacting to the memorials I added. Soon after that, I started having interviews in local newspapers.”
One experience Fred remembers was “a visit from an immigrated German family now living in the United States. They came all the way to Ysselsteyn to visit the grave of their beloved one. This also happened for families from Poland and Norway. Thanks to my additions to the memorials, they came to visit as well. They never knew that their relative was buried in Ysselsteyn. It took them 75 years to find this out through Find a Grave!”
Here are a few examples of memorials Fred has added from Ysselsteyn:
Thank you for your work Fred. We are so glad you are a member of Find a Grave and know that the photos you have added and the memorials you have created have been, and will continue to be, a great help to many people around the world. Our accolades to you for your extraordinary work and for being Find a Grave’s volunteer of the month!
Do you know a Find a Grave member who would make a good Volunteer of the Month? We welcome your suggestions. Please send an email with details of their work to feedback@findagrave.com.