Opening van het Vredespaleis

Summary

Reportage about the opening of the Peace Palace in The Hague.

In 1899 and 1907, The Hague hosted two international peace conferences: representatives from 26 countries discussed how to maintain world peace and reduce armaments. When the Peace Palace was opened in 1913, the city thereafter had permanent site for the international peace movement. After the First World War, the Peace Palace became the seat of both the Permanent Court of International Justice as well as the International Court of Arbitrage.

In the film, two men are posing in front of the building: the architect J.A.G. van der Steur, and the American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who financed the construction of the palace. We then see the palace’s exterior. The film also includes brief shots of Queen Wilhelmina and Queen Mother Emma before they enter the palace, and during a walk in the palace garden.