I stayed at the Abdij de Westerburcht Hotel, a former abbey of the Stefanos Church. The building looked very low profile compared to other abbeys I have seen, but in the hallways I could see some of the old world influence in the interior architecture and stained glass.
The railway tracks that brought Holocaust victims to Westerbork enroute to Nazi concentration camps in Germany , Czech Republic and Poland.
There were 97 trains carrying mostly Dutch Jews (107,000) and Sinti and Roma (245) that departed from Westerbork to the Nazi concentration camps in Germany and Poland.
One of the places I wanted to see in this long weekend trip was the Westerbork ex-Nazi Concentration Camp located in Hooghalen not too far away, about 6 kilometres from the village of Westerbork. It functioned as a transit camp during the World War II bringing many Dutch Jews to concentration and extermination camps in Germany, Czech Republic and Poland. The place is now a monument and a museum called Herriningscentrum Kamp Westerbork (Westerbork Memorial Camp).
When I visited I also learned about the post-war history of the camp, which was something I did not know about previously.
[To read the rest of the post and see more pictures, click the Read more link below]
During my visit I met 2 guys who were having a little run in the area. I was taking pictures of the former camp quarters when one of them offered to take a picture of me. They were very friendly, but I said, no thanks and explained that I prefer my picture not taken in a place like this. He was just being polite and helpful. He asked if I knew someone who stayed here. I immediately thought that his question was strange. How can I possibly know someone during the 1940s?
He quickly realised that I do not know the history of the place and that he has mistaken me for a local. I would have known this if I have visited the museum first, but instead I did it vice versa. I visited the camp grounds first before the museum.
Sensing the need to explain, the more talkative guy then told me that post war the camp was inhabited by Indonesians (from the Maluku Islands) and that he personally knew an old lady who lived here before. They are now neighbours in nearby Beilen.
Now I understand. I guess the guys were just trying to place me in the whole situation of things – This Asian-looking girl, who could easily be mistaken as Indonesian, and what the heck is she doing in Westerbork? Haha.
They further told me about the history of the camp, the highlights version, after the war. The whole conversation was very enriching, a great learning moment for me. So when I went back to the museum and visitor centre, I read the history timeline of the camp, from war to post war. This camp has written history. What can I say, I have learned a lot about the Dutch East Indies/Indonesia and the Netherlands from this Westerbork trip!
The Westerbork Memorial Museum and the news on the attack of Nazi Germany on the Netherlands and Belgium.
The route of the Holocaust victims from the Westerbork camp to Germany, Czech Republic and Poland. You can see also a scale of the whole camp before.
This is also the 3rd concentration camp I have visited. The first one is Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland and Vugt in the south of the Netherlands.
I have created below a quick look timeline of the history of the camp. But for details please visit the official website: Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork
How to get here:
The camp is located far from the nearest train station which are Assen and Beilen. Having said that, I highly suggest visitors to come here by car.
From the museum and visitor centre a bus service leaves every 20 minutes going to the former concentration camp grounds. Another option is to walk which will take approximately 20-30 minutes.
Important things to know:
- Entry to the former camp grounds is free of charge.
- The buses from the museum/visitor centre are not free of charge.
- The Memorial Museum also has an entrance fee and there is a cafe inside the Memorial Museum.
- Car parking is free of charge.
On Google Maps:
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Pre Nazi invasion of the Netherlands – 1939
The first refugees arrived in Westerbork. During this time the Third Reich aka Nazi Germany has gained ground, has annexed Austria and invaded Poland.
World War II – 1942 to 1945
During the war, the camp became a detention and transit camp. They call it in Dutch, ‘Kamp Westerbork’ and in German, ‘Durchgangslager Westerbork’.
Many Dutch Jews and German Jews were detained here before being transported to concentration and extermination camps in Poland, Czech Republic and Germany namely, Auschwitz-Birkenau (PL), Sobibor (PL), Bergen-Belsen (DE), Theresienstadt (CZ).
Anna Frank from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam transited here before being sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau where she died. In total there were 102,000 Dutch Jews and 5,000 German Jews that stayed in this camp. A stone monument now stands in the former camp grounds. Each stone has a Star of David and represents a single person that had stayed here in Westerbork and died in a Nazi concentration camp.
In addition, the camp also detained Sinti and Roma gypsies. They were called the forgotten victims of the Nazis many don’t know about.
The camp was liberated on 12 april 1945 by the Canadian 2nd infantry division. The Netherlands is ever grateful to Canada for liberating the country from Nazi Germany. The Dutch Royal family also evacuated to Canada (and the UK) when the war broke out.
Post World War II – 1945 to 1947
After the war, the camp became a detention camp. The accused and guilty Nazi collaborators were detained here in Westerbork.
The NSB’ers (Nationaal Socialistische Beweging/National Socialist Movement) for example were the notorious Nazi collaborators in the Netherlands. Many of them were paraded and humiliated on the streets after the war.
Military Camp – 1948
You may not know this but Indonesia (previously Dutch East Indies) was a colony of the Netherlands. The Netherlands were one of the first seafaring nations that led discovery and trade expeditions across the world during the medieval period. They have many trading posts all over the world, from the Americas to the Far East and beyond, which was quite a feat for a very small country. But they also controlled a few areas in the world such as the Caribbean and the Dutch East Indies. The latter for 350 years.
During the outbreak of the second world war, the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) fell into the hands of the Japanese. When Japan lost the war, Indonesia declared independence. Things got into hot water when the Dutch tried to re-establish their colony, sending army troops from the Netherlands to the islands. These soldiers were trained here at the Westerbork military camp.
As we all know now, the Netherlands did not succeed and have formally recognised Indonesian sovereignty in 1949.
Repatriation Camp – 1950 to 1970
After the Netherlands lost its recolonisation attempt of the Dutch East Indies, many Dutch nationals fled back to Europe. Westerbork camp became a repatriation camp.
It was also renamed later to Kamp Schattenberg when refugees from the Maluku Islands of Indonesia arrived. These refugees were part of the movement who wanted to declare Maluku as a separate republic from Indonesia. They attempted to secede but were defeated by the Indonesian army.
Monument and Museum – 1971 and now
The camp was demolished and rebuilt as a monument for all the fallen Jews, Nearby the camp a Memorial Museum was built as well.
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Here is my Westerbork Memorial Camp and Museum photo gallery:
The home of the former SS commander in Westerbork. To preserve the residence , they have covered it in a glass vitrine.
A replica of the trains that departed from Westerbork to the concentration and extermination camps in Germany, Czech Republic and Poland.
Blown-up letters enclosed in glass from Holocaust victims sent to friends and families.
One of the quarters where the Holocaust victims lived. In the lower picture are the 2 guys I met and had a conversation about Westerbork camp post war.
Some areas in the camp grounds have old pictures showing how it was like before on the same spot.
The railway track connecting the Netherlands and Germany, bringing the Holocaust victims to the concentration and extermination camps in the east.
A post card enclosed in glass from a Holocaust victim.
The stone monument. Each stone has a Star of David represents a single person that had stayed in Westerbork and died in a Nazi concentration camp.
The history timeline exhibition of the Westerbork Camp in the museum.
This was a savings tin can of a Dutch Jewish child who died in the Holocaust. On the right is a beautiful and touching remembrance art installation - Frozen Tears.
The continuation of the Westerbork timeline. You can see the man with his hands up in the air, he is a Nazi collaborator and is being paraded and humiliated on the streets. Next you will see a military man and an Indonesian family.
Travel Period: March 2016
Destination: Westerbork, Midden-Drenthe (Drenthe), The Netherlands
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or a smartphone.
