Daarom Zijn Wij Vrij (That Is Why We Are Free) is Stef Bos’s rousing salute to the men, women, and even children who dared to dream bigger than their circumstances. From a man who built luchtkastelen (castles in the sky) when dreaming was forbidden, to a woman who kept her eyes open amid war and madness, the song traces a line of courage through history. Bos sprinkles real-life heroes into the lyrics—Carl von Ossietsky, Victor Jara, Steve Biko, and the soldiers who landed on Juno, Gold, and Utah beaches—showing how individual acts of bravery have slowly stitched together the freedom we enjoy today.
The chorus turns that history lesson into a personal checklist of liberties: free to move, free to choose what we live for, free to speak and write, free to believe and to build anew. By repeating “Daarom zijn wij vrij,” Bos reminds us that our everyday choices rest on the sacrifices of those who refused to stay silent. The song is both a celebration and a gentle challenge—use your freedom well, because it was hard-won by people just like you.