ROTTERDAM, 10 April 2025 – A poignant projection will soon light up Rotterdam’s buildings and trees to honour the lives lost in the 1940 bombing. The city-wide tribute begins on 6 May, marking 85 years since the devastating event.
Rotterdam commemorates bombing victims with city-wide projection
A large-scale commemorative project titled ‘De namen van 14 mei’ (The names of 14 May) will be unveiled across Rotterdam from 6 to 14 May 2025. Organised in collaboration with Mothership, VideoAgency, and the Comité Herdenking 14 mei, the initiative seeks to remember the individuals who perished in the bombing of Rotterdam in 1940.
As the city marks 85 years since the aerial assault, an immersive visual memorial will project the names—and where possible, the faces—of the victims onto various surfaces throughout Rotterdam. These projections will appear on buildings, trees, and large digital screens from Rotterdam Centraal Station to the KPN building in Zuid, and all the way to Ahoy.
A shift in remembrance
While the post-war reconstruction of Rotterdam has long been a central narrative, the stories of the lives lost have often remained less visible. Recent research by Stichting Voorouder and Stadsarchief Rotterdam has confirmed that at least 711 individuals died as a result of the bombing. The upcoming installation aims to focus attention on those who were directly affected, making their presence felt across the modern cityscape.
“In previous years, the conversation often centred around the city’s destruction,” said the organisers, “but now, the emphasis is placed on the people behind that loss.”
Relevance in the present day
According to the creators, the project not only looks back, but also draws attention to contemporary global conflicts and displacement. With wars ongoing and millions currently displaced, the act of remembrance is framed as a timely and reflective gesture.
VideoAgency and Mothership, two Rotterdam-based creative organisations, are producing the visual installation. “Fewer and fewer people recall what happened 85 years ago,” stated the organisers. “But in today’s world, remembering has gained new urgency.”
An invitation to share stories
Beginning on 6 May at Rotterdam Centraal Station, the poetic animation will transform as names flow into faces and vice versa. Throughout the city, residents and visitors alike will encounter these projections.
The public is encouraged to contribute to the collective memory by sharing personal or family stories related to the bombing. These accounts can be submitted via the dedicated website: herdenkjij14mei.nl/denamenvan or by emailing
About the organisers
The Comité Herdenking 14 mei consists of engaged citizens and representatives from Rotterdam’s cultural sector. Supported by the municipality, the committee annually organises remembrance programmes for the city.
Mothership is known for integrating public art into Rotterdam’s urban landscape, including works such as Hoorn des Overvloeds at the Markthal and the Dobberend Bos in the Rijnhaven. VideoAgency focuses on storytelling through visual media and has worked with various local institutions including Havenbedrijf Rotterdam and Kunsthal.
Location of the opening event
The official kick-off of De namen van 14 mei will take place on 6 May 2025 at 10:20 a.m. in the main hall of Rotterdam Centraal Station. Mayor Schouten is expected to formally launch the animation, which will be shown on the horizontal screen near the event square (eventplein) opposite the Port of Rotterdam screen.
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