Awarding of the Geuzen Medal

Awarding of the Geuzen Medal

Today, Prof. GJM (Geert) Corstens, former President of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, presented the 2022 Geuzenpenning (Geuzen Medal) to Lawyers for Lawyers and to the 2021 laureate, Malgorzata Gersdorf, the former President of the Polish Supreme Court, in the Grote Kerk (Great Church) of Vlaardingen. As a donor to the Geuzenpenning Foundation and a civil-law notary for the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region, Mr. GHHJ (Geert) Janssen MRE MBA attended the impressive ceremony on behalf of MAES civil-law notaries.

Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L), represented by its president, Mr. I (Irma) van den Berg, stands up for the rights of their clients, both in and out of court, and plays a vital role in protecting human rights. But lawyers are under pressure. Around the world, they are threatened and harassed, physically attacked, or imprisoned by the government because of their clients, the cases they handle, or the attention they draw to the protection of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. These lawyers pay with their personal freedom, and sometimes even their lives, for standing up for the rights of others.

The 2021 laureate, MM (Malgorzata) Gersdorf, also received the Geuzenpenning today. Last year, the former president of the Polish Supreme Court was unable to travel to the Netherlands due to the coronavirus crisis.

KG (Kathleen) Ferrier, chair of the Geuzenpenning Foundation board, said earlier:

An independent judiciary is a cornerstone of democracy. A free and independent legal profession is an essential part of this. With these brave laureates, we draw attention to this. We think with great respect of Derk Wiersum, who was murdered in the exercise of his profession.

Who were the Geuzen?

The Geuzen were the first resistance fighters in World War II. They rose up against the German occupiers immediately after the war began. The Geuzen Resistance took its militant name from the historical Geuzen of the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648) who fought in the name of the House of Orange against the Spanish. We still celebrate their victory in grand style in Leiden (on October 3rd with herring and hutspot) and Den Briel.

The Geuzen have lit the flame of freedom in war

The resistance group "De Geuzen" (The Geuzen) ignited and passed on the flame of freedom in the Netherlands. The Geuzen Resistance Foundation 1940-1945 was established to keep the ideals and memory of these Geuzen alive and to ensure that the flame continues to burn, even among young people.

Objective: preserve democracy and increase vigilance

The aim is to maintain and promote democracy in the Netherlands and to increase vigilance against all forms of dictatorship, discrimination and racism.

Annual presentation of the Geuzenpenning

Since 1987, the foundation, supported by the municipalities of Rotterdam, Maassluis, Schiedam, and Vlaardingen, as well as the Schiedam Vlaardingen and surrounding area Fund and numerous donors, has awarded an annual Geuzenpenning (Geuzen Medal) as a tribute to individuals and/or institutions that have made exceptional contributions to democracy or against dictatorship, discrimination, and racism. This tribute is based on a mission that, sadly, is more relevant today than ever.

Soldier of Orange

The Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy played a theme from "Soldier of Orange" and accompanied the Vlaardingen Male Choir Orpheus and the Royal Schiedam Male Choir Orpheus.