The Februaristaking (February strike) is a general strike that started on February 25, 1941, in Amsterdam. It was directed aginst anti-Jewish measures, taken by the German occupiers of the Netherlands.
The direct cause were pogroms held in the Jewish neighbourhood in Amsterdam. The strike was struck down the next day already, and did not prevent the large scale deportation and murdering of Jews during the remainder of World War 2.
The February Strike is still commemorated every year, on February 25, with a march to the statue of the Dokwerker, the memorial made for the strike in 1951 and first revealed in December 1952.
The commemoration usually starts at 4.45pm, near the statue.
It was at the first commemoration of the strike, in 1946, that Queen Wilhelmina gave Amsterdam the motto 'Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig' ('Valiant, Steadfast, Compassionate') for Amsterdam's coat of arms.
Dokwerker, statue to commemorate the February Strike
