Today, Thursday the 20th of November we, a handful of artists and survivors, have unmounted the monument, according to plan. But the transport to a new location has not been completed, due to bad weather: the captain of the salon boat  judged the risk too big for his boat with forecasted winds up to 7 Beaufort, and sweeps of 34 miles per hour.
The detention center surprised us by handing back the canvas painting, they had taken inside a few days after the commemoration. And they helped us out of the weather problem, by bringing the unmounted art tree to a safe and visible place on the complex behind the fence.

Believe it or not.

The only serious friction occurred between the Mayor and his representative Mr. Scheffer and organizer Jo van der Spek.
They mayor had without any previous consultation with the main stakeholders of the commemoration, decided to leave the decision to the NV Schiphol, apparently the owner of the land now “temporarily” occupied by the detention center. Jo van der Spek, together with Mrs. Toekaja were offered a choice between two locations for the living trees, the Tilia Cordata. We immediately choose the first option: only 30-40 meters away from the ceremonial space with the eleven wooden pillars for each of the eleven victims of the fire. But then Mr. Scheffer pointed to three bricks standing straight up and in a straight line. Jo picked up one stone and moved it to the middle to better use the space. Scheffer jumped up and told us we were not supposed to move the bricks one inch. Why not? because Schiphol says so. Why? because the mayor has decided that this is it, take it or leave it.
Jo explained that the three trees had been planted according to instructions by expert Nic Zuurdeeg from Oosterbeek and that the formation of the three trees in a triangle was based on a long tradition of creating a full crown under which people can sit and chat and play and fool around. Like a democratic ritual communal space in the heart of the village, or near a chapel or other spriritual sign. So, please Mr. Scheffer, give us a reason why in this case Schiphol insists on have them in a straight line.  Scheffer started repeating himself and refused to inform himslef and us by calling Schiphol or go back his boss, the Mayor of Haarlemmermeer. So that’s the end of the discussion, decided Jo.
No consultation, no conversation and no participation by represenatives either from the Town Council or from the organziers of the Commemoration the the local church. So nothing according to the rules of engagement that had been agreed upon less than a week ago. Trust building is hard if one party refuses to listen, to argue or to understand. It becomes impossible if the ultimatum is the last word and orders replace proposals. Scheffer forced his will and destroyed the dialogue. Without any further debate, he ordered Huub Braas and Marcel Taam (the gardeners of Water Wolf) to dig the wholes where the bricks were. Jo stepped away from the trees after the replanting of the first. Mrs. Toekaja observed how they planted the other two.

A great VIDEO report by Patrick

Under the observing camera of Patrick van den Hurk and the eyes of reporter Koen Polak of the Haarlems Dagblad , Alessio, Ben and Sakho worked their backs off to break the concrete fundament of the aluminum art tree.
Meanwhile the police officer Prinsen told us that the prison management wanted to hand us back the painting that they kept stored inside. We rejoiced and happily accpeted this gesture of respect and, possibly, embarrassment. We had hoped to be able to see the painting inside, but this gesture really came as a surpise. It greatly helped our effort to maintain the integrity of the monument as an art work and as a ceremony intact.

The Mayor and his representative had not given any sign of assistance to transport the tree to its new location. That is why we asked the managent of the detention cetre to kindly look after the tree for a couple of days. Byu Monday the depression would be over and we could finally sail our boat to Schiphol_East, load the tree and carry it to Nieuw en Meer, the artist’s colony having it’s way at the nearby Nieuwe Meer.

So see you again this Monday.
Boarding time 10 a.m.
Arrival at Schiphol East 12 o’clock.
Arrival at Nieuw en Meer at 1 p.m.

be there!