Two dates in May are important dates in Dutch history. On May 10, 1940 the Nazis invaded Holland and on May 5, 1945, World War II ended for the Dutch people when Adolf Hitler's troops surrendered. The Freedom Carillon was designed to keep the memory of these significant pages of Dutch history alive in the memories of future generations. In 1952, a belfry consisting of four columns and 31 clocks was manufactured at the behest of the National Remembrance Committee. Nine small clocks bear the national motto Je Maintiendrai, which means 'I will endure'. The striking monument has been located in Nieuw West since 1960, after a short period of time on the Dam. Today, you can find it on Plein '40-'45 in Slotermeer. The square is surrounded by streets named after Dutch resistance fighters from World War II and every year on May 4 at exactly 20:00 a big ceremony is held here to remember Dutch casualties of war.