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World War II and the Holocaust in Amsterdam


See important sites and monuments relating to the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam (1940-45). Let us be your guides and inform you about this traumatic episode in the Dutch capital's long history. The tour is ideal for visitors who like to go off the beaten path and want to learn more about this important aspect of the city's past.

For those with a passion for history this is a tour not to be missed. 

The price is 40 euro per person. 
A private tour is 160 euro.
Our walking tour always has a maximum of 4 people!
 
The tour takes approx. 2,5-3 hours. Your guides are Ben de Jong and Peter Schaapman.
 
We do not visit The Anne Frank House, the Resistance Museum or the Hollandsche Schouwburg (the deportation center). Tickets for these museums and drinks are not included. 
 
About halfway through the walk, a short break will be provided for a coffee and/or a rest room visit.
Because of its content, the suggested minimum age for the tour is 13.
 
You can find here all the points of interest. 
  
Peter Schaapman
&
Ben de Jong
 
For reviews on Tripadvisor click here
 
For more information : 
Our email adress : info@historywalks.eu 
Our cell phone : + 31640983208 
 

FOR A BIKE TOUR:

Your guide for the bike tour is Rudi Dolfin.

Amsterdam South has many monuments and buildings from World War II, including the headquarters of the Gestapo (the German secret police) and the headquarters of the Dutch Nazi party. We also visit places where executions, raids and battles between the Dutch resistance and German soldiers took place. The bike tour will not visit places from the WW2 walking tour.

Bicycles are included.

Amsterdam South is much quieter than the center and therefore more acceptable for inexperienced cyclists. About halfway through the tour there is a short break for a cup of coffee and/or a visit to the toilet.

The tour takes approx. 2,5-3 hours.  

The price is 55 euro per person a bike is included.

The minimum group size is 2 and has a maximum of 6 people.

All tours are in English.

Here you can see all the points of interest: 
 
We meet at Tesselschadestraat 1, in front of A-Rental-Bikes
 

1.

Victorieplein.

Our bike tour starts at Victorieplein (Victory Square was then called Daniël Willinkplein). On June 20, 1943, a major raid took place in Amsterdam. At the foot of the Skyscraper, large groups of Jewish citizens were arrested during a so-called Judenaktion. Assisted by Dutch police units (PBA, Police Battalion Amsterdan) and police volunteers (from the Dutch National Socialist Movement - the NSB), the Nazis transported the Jews to Olympiaplein, among other places, for registration purposes and then to the Westerbork concentration camp in the east of the Netherlands.

 

2.

Merwedeplein.

Merwedeplein 37-II (3rd floorby American counting) was the home of the Frank family. In the summer of 1942, Otto Frank took his family and some acquaintances to “Het Achterhuis” (the Secret Annex) on the Prinsengracht, where Otto Frank's company was located. A statue commemorates Anne Frank on Merwedeplein. Around the corner from the Waalstraat bookstore, Jimmink (still active) sold the first edition of “Het Achterhuis” (Contact publishers), the first edition of Anne Frank's diary was published in 1947.

It was at this bookshop that Otto Frank bought the diary for his daughter.

 

3.

Waalstraat.

At Waalstraat 48, opposite Merwedeplein, (now Café Blek) was once the Tilex Bar (Tilly and Lex - van Weren). Lex van Weren survived Auschwitz because he had to play his trumpet at executions.

 

4. Cornelis Troostplein.

Cornelis Troostplein 23. Once accommodated the PBA-baracks, before WWII it was called “peace parish” ( the Catholic complex held two convents and a school). Spring 1942 the chief of the  Sicherheitsdienst (SD) /Gestapo Rauter inspected the PBA and met Reichsführer - SS Heinrich Himmler at Museumplein.

 

5. Museumplein.

The Germans transformed the Museumplein during the war into a stronghold.
When facing the concert hall, the houses on your left were occupied by German offices. E.g. the United States consulate building once housed the Zentralstelle für Jüdische Auswanderung ( Central Jewish ‘Emigration’ office) Next door you could find the Ortskommandantur (Town Major) and the Feldgendarmerie (Military Police) building. The other buildings housed nazi party offices and other German services. On the square in front of these buildings was the IJsclubterrein ( Amsterdam skating club). Here the Germans build their stronghold with bunkers an anti-aircraft (Flak~) batteries.
Next to the concert hallyou found the NSB HQ Amsterdam. After WWII all bunkers were blown up.

 

6.

Roelof Hartplein.

Cafe Wildschut, we’ll have a short stop for coffee and a restroom visit.

 

7.

Roelof Hartstraat.

There was a photo shop next to the library building on Roelof Hartstraat. During the war, the Dutch resistance used the store and developed unique photos (e.g. Charles Breijer) of the first roundup of Jews in Amsterdam by the SD/Gestapo and the German (order) police.

 

8. 

Harmoniehof

You’ll find a small monument remembering Jews taken from this neighborhood.

 

9.

Corner Beethovenstraat / Apollolaan. 

At the end of October 1944, approx. in front of no: 6. (and note: most of the house numbers are still the same as during WWII), Herbert Oelschlägel SS officer and Sicherheitsdienst /Gestapo agent was executed by a Dutch resistance member. In retaliation the Sicherheitsdienst / Gestapo burned down two houses and executed 29 resistance fighters.

 

10.
Gerrit van der Veenstraat (At the time this street was called Euterpestraat)

(Gerrit van der Veen was the leader of an important Dutch resistance-group) 

 

11.

Memlingstraat/Rubensstraat

On the corner of Memlingstraat/Rubensstraat were two offices of the most important Nazi oppression organizations. SD-HQ Amsterdam (SD Aussenstelle under Willy Lages) and the Hausraterfassungsstelle (stealing the possesions of deported Jews) which was part of the Zentralstelle für Jüdische Auswanderung. The leader of the Hauserfassungsstelle was a Dutch collaborator named Henneicke.

In November 1944, the resistance requested the Royal Air Force via a secret radio message to attack the headquarters of the SD/Gestapo and the Hausraterfassungsstelle. Destroying SD/Gestapo files was their main aim. This job was done by Group Captain Denys Gillam DSO, DFC, AFC leader of 149 (Typhoon) wing. There was a (resistance) safehouse on the corner of Rubensstraat/Gerrit van der Veenstraat. See Stolperstein (stumbling stone) for the address. In June 1944, this address was betrayed to the SD/Gestapo by a female informant (V-Frau).

 

12.

Olympiaplein/Parnassusweg. 

On this square, Jewish people arrested during the raid of June 1943 at the sports complex (see monument Parnassusweg) were registered by the SD/Gestapo with the help(!) of Jewish camp police sent from Westerbork concentration camp.

 

13.

Valeriusplein / Amsterdam Lyceum. 

This school building was the headquarters of the Luftwaffe at the end of the occupation.

 

14.

Emmaplein.

Statue of Queen Emma on Emmalaan/Prins Hendriklaan In the summer of 1940, people placed flowers at the statue, in defiance of the German occupiers.

One of the resistance photographers, Charles Breijer (see 7.), took this photo of the guard at the headquarters of the Kriegsmarine in 1944.

 

15.

Amstelveenseweg.

When the Germans surrendered on May 7, 1945, dangerous situations arose between frustrated German troops and resistance fighters. See the monument to the victims of one of the shootings on the last day.

 

This was the last point of the tour. I will guide you back to Tesselschadestraat 1 to return your bike.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

< back

Our guides

Ben de Jong is a retired history professor from the University of Amsterdam.

 

Peter Schaapman, creator of Historywalks.eu, has a 30-years career in the media. He studied WWII and the Shoah in Amsterdam. 

An interview with me, here on the interesting website: Bridges of Amsterdam 

 

 

 

 

I like to introduce myself as your Historywalks Bike-Tour guide. My name is Rudi Dolfin. For fourty years I worked as a history teacher and college-coach for teacher-students at a college for pre-university students. History of the 20th century and the history of the Second World War are my specialties. I was born and lived all my life in the city of Amsterdam.  My parents and grandparents experienced the Second World War in Amsterdam. They have told me many stories about the occupation time.
Being also a grandfather of two I Currently moved to the city of Alkmaar which is approx. 28 mls. to the north of Amsterdam. 

Kayak: Plan your journey in Amsterdam
Look here what to do in Amsterdam.

  1. Top 5 Reasons to Visit Amsterdam
  2. The city center is spectacular and Amsterdam's famous canals often earn the city the nickname the "Venice of the North". The waterways cover the Old Centre and the 17th century Canal Ring district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll also find the famous Red Light District here.
  3. The city's most famous music venues like Paradiso and Melkweg play host to new talent and top international acts. Tourists flock to the glitzy clubs that line Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein but locals head to hidden gems like Claire (Rembrandtplein, 17) or Club Up (Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 26-1).
  4. It's impossible to do justice to the enormous Rijksmuseum in one visit. The museum is home to important works of art from the Dutch "Golden Age" including Vermeer's "Milkmaid" and "Night Watch" by Rembrandt as well as an extensive collection of Asian art.
  5. The city has been a prominent international diamond center since the 16th century. Jewelry lovers can admire the dazzling precious stones during free guided tours of leading diamond houses like Coster Diamonds or Gassan Diamonds.
  6. The home of Anne Frank during World War II and where she hid with her family and neighbors from the Nazis in a secret annex behind a bookcase. The Prinsengracht house is one of city's three most visited museums along with the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. 
  7. 1. Old Center
  8. 2. Nightlife
  9. 3. Rijksmuseum
  10. 4. Diamonds
  11. 5. Anne Frank House



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