amersfoort concentration camp tour

Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort

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Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort, Leusden

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Camp Amersfoort

• Camp Westerbork
• Camp Schoorl
• Who built the camps?
• Who were the prisoners?
• How were the organisation and the administration of the camp arranged?
• What was the destination of the prisoner transports?
• How were the prisoners treated?
• What kind of work did the prisoners do?
• What did the prisoners do after work?
• Did the prisoners have any contact with the outside world?
• How were the camps liberated?
• What happened to the camps after the war?
• War Aftercare Department of the Netherlands Red Cross
• Eemland Archive
• Brabant Historical Information Centre (BHIC)
• Drenthe Archive
• Midden-Drenthe Municipality Archive
• Memorial Centre Camp Westerbork
• National Monument Camp Amersfoort
• National Monument Camp Vught
• Netherlands Institute for War Documentation (NIOD)
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The Netherlands / Monument

National Monument Kamp Amersfoort

The National Monument Kamp Amersfoort lies on the border between Leusden and Amersfoort. Between 1941 and 1945, approximately 37,000 prisoners were incarcerated in the camp, which served as both a transit and work camp directed by the SS. The camp was dismantled after the war. The Memorial Monument was completed in 2004.

The National Monument Kamp Amersfoort lies on the border between Leusden and Amersfoort. Between 1941 and 1945, approximately 37,000 prisoners were incarcerated in the camp, which served as both a transit and work camp directed by the SS. The camp was dismantled after the war. The Memorial Monument was completed in 2004. During the mobilisation period of 1939 and 1940 the terrain was used as a barrack complex for the Dutch military. After 1941, the German occupier started to use the camp as a transit and work camp. During the war not only political opponents of the Nazi regime, but also many people in hiding in order to evade the forced labour, were imprisoned. On 19 April 1945, the camp was transferred to Loes van Overeem of the Red Cross. Over 600 of the approximately 37,000 prisoners did not survive the camp.

After the war the camp was used as internment camp for people of the NSB, SS and collaborators. In 1946, the camp was transferred to the Department of War to be used as army camp again. After the war, almost the entire camp was demolished. Since the ‘80s the Police Academy uses a large part of the terrain. On the remaining grounds, the National Monument kamp Amersfoort is established, which was completed in 2004. Already in 1953, a national monument was erected here. This statue ‘de stenen man’ (the stone man) can nowadays be found at the end of the shooting range, a lane dug by the prisoners of the camp where many executions took place. Besides the monument there is also a visitor centre with in it a permanent exposition. On the terrain, a watchtower, a bunker, monuments and several reconstructions can be seen.

Loes van Overeemlaan 19, 3832 RZ Leusden, Netherlands

Camp Amersfoort

Camp Amersfoort was a concentration camp in Leusden on the southern edge of Amersfoort.

52.1329246900911 N 5.36511742540871 E

The camp was in use from 18 August 1941 until 19 April 1945 as a concentration camp and transit camp. Camp Amersfoort (German: Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Amersfoort ; PDA) held a total of 37,000 registered prisoners in the years 1941-1945 , mainly political prisoners, people who had been in hiding and black-marketeers, of whom about 20,000 were deported to German concentration camps or Westerbork. In addition, 13,000 unregistered prisoners were detained at the camp for short periods. [1] Victor Kugler was imprisoned in Camp Amersfoort from 11 September to 26 September 1944 , after which he was put on transport for forced labour. Like Kugler, Johannes Kleiman was registered in Camp Amersfoort on 11 September 1944 , but was released a week later due to his poor health.

• ^ See the website of Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort .

12 Things To Do In Amersfoort

Gerrit Vandenberg

Gerrit shares his love for the Netherlands from his home near Amsterdam, helping thousands plan unforgettable trips to the lowlands. Discover his inspiring journey "From a critical health scare to celebrating Holland's charms" . If you want to send Gerrit a quick message, you can contact him here .

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Hi, I'm Gerrit

I enjoy sharing useful tips about the beauty of this county.

Are you looking for things to do in Amersfoort?

Or did you stumble upon this page?

No matter how you got here, you’re in the right place.

Amersfoort is a beautiful city, and I live here for 17 years now. This is my hometown. I know the city well. So if there is one destination in the Netherlands, I like to write about it’s Amersfoort.

The gorgeous centuries-old medieval city is so close to Amsterdam that it’s an easy day trip.

What to do in Amersfoort? That’s a fair question, so in this article, I cover 12 great things to do in Amersfoort . And as a hyper-local, you get the inside scoop.

These Amersfoort highlights make for a great start to a fantastic day out.

One completely off the tourist map too!

Even if I were not a resident, Amersfoort would be among the top cities I’d suggest exploring if you’re looking for a day trip from Amsterdam . This charming city remains largely undiscovered by tourists, which is an excellent advantage for those in the know.

Amersfoort has a perfectly preserved old city center . It makes you feel you’re almost literally inside a postcard all the time. And Amersfoort is only 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam. It’s genuinely local and off the beaten track.

So why not come and visit ?

Trains run every 30 minutes . The city is full of atmosphere and history. And because the city center is compact, it’s perfect for exploring on foot.

Stroll past the “ Muurhuizen ” (wall houses). Or marvel at the Koppelpoort , once an entry point in the city wall. Climb the famous “ Onze Lieve Vrouwe Tower ,” take an open boat sightseeing tour of the old town , and explore the city’s many unique stores and countless restaurants and cafes.

Table of Contents

Onze lieve vrouwe tower (lange jan) amersfoort.

The Lange Jan , as locals call this beautiful tower, is officially called “Onze Lieve Vrouwe Tower.” You can see the tower from everywhere in the city, and is most definitely one of the Amersfoort attractions.

Did you know the tower in Amersfoort, Netherlands, is the exact middle point of the country ? Not many people know this fact. A plaque in front of the entrance points this out. Try to find it.

The tower was completed around the year 1500 . It’s been standing tall over the city for over 500 years!

It’s possible to climb the 346 steps of the 98 meters (320ft) tall tower for truly amazing views, not only of the city but also of the beautiful surroundings. On a good day, you can see the National Park “The Utrechtse Heuvelrug .” And the cities of Utrecht, Hilversum, Almere, and Amsterdam.

Climbing is only possible on a guided tour of the tower . Click for more information about times, prices, and availability. The website is in Dutch only, but if you use Google Translate in Chrome for automatic translations in English, it should be possible to complete a reservation without too much trouble.

Note that tours are also conducted in Dutch only, but the guide or another visitor will most likely translate parts of the tour for you.

Muurhuizen (Wall Houses) Amersfoort

Just like many other medieval cities, Amersfoort also had a city wall . When its function was lost, the wall was demolished, and the stones were used to build the houses now following the old Amersfoort city center wall lines.

These wall houses are now one the most popular things to see in Amersfoort. And are a magnet for many artists. I guarantee plenty of photo opportunities for you here!

The Mondriaan House Museum Amersfoort

Along the Kortegracht you’ll find the Mondriaan House , the birthplace of the world-famous abstract painter Piet Mondriaan.

On display are some of his early works (when he was still painting naturalistic paintings) and temporary exhibitions by artists inspired by Mondriaan . If you’re a fan of his work, this is a must-visit.

Enjoy a Coffee and some Cake in Amersfoort

Taking a break for a coffee and some cake is the perfect way to recharge and soak in the charming atmosphere. Amersfoort offers wonderful choices of cafés and bakeries to satisfy your cravings, each boasting its unique character and appeal.

Ready to give your feet some well-deserved rest after strolling around Amersfoort’s beautiful city center?

I’ve got you covered; Here are two excellent options that I love to patron myself (this is my hometown, after all). Treat yourself to a moment of rest and indulgence.

City Convent Mariënhof And Cake At Cafe “Buuf in de Serre”

On your way to the Mondriaan House Museum, you’ll pass the city convent Mariënhof . A former convent that is now a congress center. It’s a beautiful building, but the main reason to visit is “ Buuf in de Serre ,” a cafe inside a glasshouse on the side of the main building.

They’re known for their cakes that change regularly. Their “Cookie van Eigen Deeg” is a staple. If you can’t choose (and who can?), they offer a tasting platter which I can highly recommend. Or, if you have some time, this is a great place to book a high tea and enjoy an array of sweet and savory treats.

Homemade Apple Pie from Stadscafé Amersfoort

Right under the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren , you’ll find Stadscafé Amersfoort. This square is home to many cafes with outdoor terraces (weather allowing). But this one has a special card on its sleeve: homemade apple pie with freshly whipped cream.

Most cafes nowadays serve factory-made pies, but neither suggestions above do.

And that makes them such great choices. The apple pie at Stadscafé Amersfoort is just so satisfying. I love it, including the freshly whipped cream. Whether you sit outside or inside, a cozy break is guaranteed at this cafe. This is my favorite cafe in the city.

Shopping in Amersfoort

The old town of Amersfoort is blessed with a large shopping area in a beautiful backdrop. The “ Langestraat ” is the main shopping street running through the city center. This street is home to most chain stores and department stores.

It gets much more enjoyable when you venture out into the side streets. Here you’ll find actual one-of-a-kind stores. The “ Krommestraat ” is one of the more famous streets for its diversity of stores, restaurant and cafes.

Weekly Markets in Amersfoort

An authentic tradition in Dutch cities and villages is the outdoor weekly fresh market – A place to buy produce, cheese, flowers, fresh fish, and more from one of the many market stalls.

Amersfoort has not one but two market days. Both are distinctly different.

On Friday mornings , you can find three smaller specialty Amersfoort markets around the city center. At the foot of the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe Tower,” you will find a fresh flower market. You can buy fresh fish at the “Groenmarkt,” and at the “Eemplein“ you’ll find the weekly organic market.

Saturday is the primary market day . It’s located on the largest square of the city, de Hof. Every Saturday, the Amersfoort market fills up with dozens of market stalls selling everything you can imagine.

The surrounding outdoor terraces of this square’s many restaurants, bars, and cafes make this a perfect stop. Sit, enjoy a drink, and see the world passing by.

Sightseeing Boat Tour From A Different Perspective

From the Krommestraat, you can board a sightseeing boat operated by the Waterlijn Amersfoort. When friends visit, I always try to go on one of their tours together.

Volunteers run the Waterlijn, and their shippers have vast knowledge about the city, and most importantly, it’s just a beautiful ride.

The organization offers different tours. For a first-time visit , I recommend the West tour , passing most of the city’s monuments (and it is boat only).

The other routes are also worthwhile (if you have more time or are a repeat visitor). But do know they include some walking along the way. If mobility is an issue, make sure to enquire about this before you buy tickets.

Museum Flehite Amersfoort

Another great museum is the Flehite Museum , housed in three medieval wall houses since 1890! It’s a perfect place to learn more about the history of this beautiful city.

Besides fixed collections on display, the Flehite also always has exciting temporary exhibitions. You can easily reach the Flehite Museum from the Krommestraat. Just continue walking along the water for a few more minutes.

The Iconic “Koppelpoort”

When you continue along the water from the Flehite Museum, you’ll quickly see another Amersfoort attraction, the “Koppelpoort.” If the Dutch think about Amersfoort, they instantly conjure up the Koppelpoort .

This monument is unique in the country because it’s a medieval gateway to the city with a water and a land entry point in one building. It’s a gorgeous structure. It still makes me pause to admire it when I pass by, even after calling this city home for over fifteen years.

De nieuwe stad – The New City

Just outside the old town (only a few minutes on foot from the Koppelpoort) is a unique area called the “ Nieuwe Stad, ” which means the new city. It’s a former toothpaste factory turned into a buzzing center of creativity.

The city council repurposed the buildings and the grounds with innovative and sustainable companies. It’s such a dynamic and fun place to be. Here are a few of our favorite spots to visit:

“Het lokaal” is a natural market with organic and or locally produced products (preferably both). This store and cafe offer some incredible products. They focus on no waste. What is not sold in the store is used for meals at the cafe.

I love their mustard offering, cheeses, and especially their bread and pastries! The loaves of bread, in particular, are delicious. The “ Grey bread ” is my absolute favorite.

Zandfoort aan de Eem Amersfoort

Just next to the New City, you’ll find Zandfoort aan de Eem . For the Dutch, “Zandvoort” is a synonym for the Beach. Zandvoort is one of the main beach resorts on the Dutch coast. The name is a fun reference to Zand voort and Amers foort.

This bar brings an artificial outdoor beach to Amersfoort. A perfect spot for a warm summer day to enjoy a drink!

Update : in 2024 Zandfoort aan de Eem will be closed!

Restaurant Hoog Vuur

“Hoog Vuur” is a modern industrial restaurant on the property of the new city where fire takes the central stage. You can warm yourself in front of the flames on a cold day.

Enjoy a meal here of pure and local ingredients, traditionally prepared on wood-fired ovens.

Restaurant Dara

Another great restaurant I can highly recommend in this area is Dara. This airy restaurant is a local’s favorite.

When you enter, it feels like you arrived in the story of 1001 nights. The menu is Middle-Eastern based. And the concept is sharing portions. Perfect to taste your way around the continent and share with everyone in your party.

One problem, everything on the menu sounds good. What I do is order less than I think I need because you can always order more later!

I highly recommend making reservations, especially during weekends and when the weather is warm (if you want to sit outside) because this restaurant is popular! I’ve been said no to before.

Get Old Fashion Quality Ice Cream at IJs van Vitelli

Close to Dara, on the “Kwekersweg,” you’ll find “ IJs van Vitelli .” An old-fashion ice cream shop that uses as many sustainably and locally sourced ingredients in their products as possible, like milk from local dairy farmers.

Its location is also unique. This ice cream shop is housed in a former gas station, which is now restored to its vintage glory.

Amersfoort Concentration Camp National Monument

A much more serious topic , but very much worth a visit, is the concentration camp Amersfoort—one of the three best-known remembrance centers in the Netherlands.

We all know about the concentration camps in Germany and Poland. But before that happened, prisoners were put in local holding camps. The Netherlands had five of these, including Camp Amersfoort, which was used mainly for political prisoners.

What sets Camp Amersfoort apart is that it was not just used as a holding place like Westerbork. Here prisoners were also directly punished and killed. It was known for its terror and hunger—an exception in the Dutch camps.

Today what’s left are the foundations, remembrance artworks, and an excellent visitor center/museum . Even with the absence of the barracks, it still feels oppressive here. It’s a place for reflection and learning.

The Bunker cells

All prisoners to be executed the next day were placed in these cells. All they had was a bed of steel, a straw bag, and a bucket to be used as a toilet.

Kopinsky’s Stone

Kopinsky’s Stone is a piece of art made by a former prisoner named Kopinsky. The curve in the path symbolizes the fact that many prisoners were psychologically broken during their time in this camp.

The shooting range

At first sight, a beautiful lane in the forest. However, the prisoners dug out this path themselves under terrible conditions. After it was finished, it served as a path to kill prisoners. Some got killed at the start, some in the middle, but most at the end. Right at the point when it looked like they had reached freedom.

The Stone Man

The monument “ The Stone Man ” is made by the sculptor Fritz Sieger (a prisoner of war himself). It’s a memorial to all victims who died here. The man is facing where the firing squad would have stood.

The Rose Garden

This “rose” garden wasn’t a garden at all. It was just a nickname given by the prisoners instead. In reality, it was a patio enclosed by barbed wire . Prisoners had to stand inside it as punishment for hours, sometimes days, no matter the weather. Prisoners imagined the barbs were roses, hence the name.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Amersfoort

What is amersfoort known for.

Amersfoort is known for its well-preserved medieval center, the “Muurhuizen” (wall houses), the city gate “Koppelpoort” and the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe” tower which is also the official middle point of the country.

How do I get to Amersfoort?

It couldn’t be easier to travel to Amersfoort. The best way to go is by train. Amersfoort is well connected to every corner of the country since Amersfoort is the official middle point of the Netherlands.

The direct Intercity train service from Amsterdam to Amersfoort takes just 30 minutes (leaving twice per hour in each direction, from early morning to late at night, seven days per week.)

Download the NS App on your phone. It’s available in English, you can use it for planning your journey and for buying your tickets. It accepts credit cards (the machines do not) and you avoid the €1 surcharge for paper tickets.

What are the top attractions in Amersfoort?

The most popular attractions include the Koppelpoort, Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren, the Wall houses, Museum Flehite, the Mondriaan House, and the Krommestraat shopping street.

Are there guided tours available in Amersfoort?

Yes, het Gilde offers guided tours in the city center, boat tours, and a guided tour up the Onze Lieve Vrouwe tower. These tours are conducted in Dutch only.

You can join me on a private tour in Amersfoort. We can visit this beautiful city together. I can customize the tour to your needs and interests.

Is Amersfoort suitable for a day trip?

Since Amersfoort is just 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam it is a perfect destination for a day trip. The city of Amersfoort is also compact. You can quite easily see the highlights of this city in a day.

Can I rent a bike in Amersfoort?

Yes, you can rent a bicycle in several bike rental shops in Amersfoort. However, the old medieval city center is not a great place for biking.

Its cobbled and narrow streets are not the best backdrop for an activity like biking. It’s best for walking. You can park your bike free of charge at supervised stalls around the city center.

However, a bike is excellent for exploring Amersfoort’s beautiful surroundings. Why not venture out to Spakenburg, a former fishing village with a museum harbor? Or go the other direction and explore the National Park “The Utrechtse Heuvelrug.”

Which Amersfoort Activity Excites 🌟 You The Most ?

I’d love to hear your thoughts: Which of the highlighted things to do in Amersfoort are you most excited to visit and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s start a conversation 💬.

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• Camp Amersfoort National Memorial
• Introduction
• Remembrance

19 Best Things to Do in Amersfoort

The city of Amersfoort, located in the Utrecht province, is a Dutch city that is steeped in history. It is a relatively small city, even by Dutch standards, but packs a punch in terms of things to do. When visiting Amersfoort, what to see is plentiful and there’s no shortage of attractions to visit in a day trip to this historical Dutch city.

So, let’s dive into the list of the top things to do in Amersfoort!

How to get to Amersfoort

1. onze-lieve vrouwetoren, 2. de hof square, koppelpoort, monnikendam, kamperbinnenpoort, 4. muurhuizen street, 5. sint joriskerk, 6. flehite museum, 7. the mondriaan house, 8. kunsthal kade, 10. rietveld pavilion, 11. the amersfoort boulder, 12. eem harbour, 13. boat trip, 14. de nieuwe stad, 15. dutch cavalry museum, 16. amersfoort zoo, 17. mannenzaal, 18. courtyard of almshouses ‘de armen de poth’, 19. national monument kamp amersfoort, final words.

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of those links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost for you.

Located centrally in the Netherlands, Amersfoort is the perfect day-trip destination from big cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. At just under 15 minutes by train from Utrecht, Amersfoort is a must-visit, if you are staying in this area.

Amersfoort is very well connected to all large cities in the Netherlands by train.

Tip: Read this post about using the public transport in the Netherlands . It’s packed with tips that only a local knows!

Here are some distances from other major cities in the Netherlands to Amersfoort by car and the time it takes both by car and by train:

• Amsterdam – Amersfoort: 50 km/45 min; by train: 45 min
• Schiphol – Amersfoort: 65 km/50 min; by train: 45 min
• Groningen – Amersfoort: 175 km/1 hr 55 min; by train: 1 hr 40 min
• Utrecht – Amersfoort: 20 km/30 min; by train: 13 min
• The Hague – Amersfoort: 90 km/1 hr 10 min; by train: 55 min
• Rotterdam – Amersfoort: 80 km/1 hr; by train: 57 min
• Eindhoven – Amersfoort: 110 km/1 hr 15 min; by train: 1 hr 15 min
• Maastricht – Amersfoort: 200 km/2 hrs 10 min; by train: 2 hrs 20 min

The best way to find out how to travel from A to B in the Netherlands is to use the Glimble app. You can buy your tickets in the app and travel hassle-free. The app is absolutely free to download .

• Click here to download Glimble for Android
• Click here to download Glimble for iPhone

For international travel options, check out Omio , where you can also buy train and bus tickets.

Top things to do in Amersfoort

Amersfoort is one of the hidden gems in the Netherlands, a historical city with lots to do and see. Read further to find out which are the best things to do in Amersfoort. On the handy map below I’ve marked all tourist attractions in the city. You can add the map to your Google Maps and use it even if you are offline.

Kicking off the list of things to see in Amersfoort is the Onze-Lieve Vrouwetoren. This 98-meter-high Late Gothic building is one of the most eye-catching monuments in the city and can be seen throughout the city. The tower was aptly nicknamed “ Lange Jan ” (“Long John” in English) for its height and is the third highest church tower in the Netherlands.

You can climb the 346 steps of tower and admire the beautiful views of the city and the region.

Fun fact: The tower in Amersfoort used to be the middle point of the Dutch grid reference system until the 1960s.

Practical info

Address: Krankeledenstraat 30, 3811 BN Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 8,50 EUR, children – 5 EUR Opening times: daily climb at 14:00; Saturday carillon climb at 16:30 Website: www.vvvamersfoort.nl

De Hof Square is the main square in the center of Amersfoort – a buzzing area made up of bars, restaurants, and wine bars. On a warm summer’s evening, it’s one of the favorite Amersfoort attractions to visit and walk around and really captures the feel of old Amersfoort.

3. Medieval Walls and Gates

Amersfoort has a rich history, steeped with historical buildings, canals, and medieval walls and gates. Some of the most famous ones include Koppelpoort, Kamperbinnenpoort, and Monnikendam.

This historical land and water gate site used to control the entry into and out of the city as well as the water levels within the city. It was built between 1380 and 1425 as a part of the second city wall. The Eem River begins officially at the Koppelpoort

Monnikendam is a gateway that is made up of two round towers and a connecting arch. The gate was used to shut off the water passage below the arch. Today, one of the most popular things to do in Amersfoort is to dine at the restaurant located within the watergate.

The gate was built around 1400 and was part of the second city wall.

Kamperbinnenpoort is one of the first Amersfoort tourist attractions that you see upon entering the city. Again, it was used to control access to and from the city. It is one of the last remnants from the first city wall. It was built in the 2nd half of the 13th century.

Muurhuizen Street is considered to be one of the most beautiful streets in the entire city, and as such, is one of the most popular things to do in Amersfoort. Walking through the circular street, you feel the Medieval spirit of the city of Amersfoort. There are also many restaurants and terraces to stop off for a bite to eat.

The Muurhuizen appeared at the place where the first city wall of Amersfoort once stood, hence the name “Wall Houses”. Around 1450 the city wall was demolished and with the stones they built the houses on the newly created circular street.

Sint Joriskerk (or Saint George Church in English) is the largest church in Amersfoort. The church tower dates back to 1248 when the first church was built in this place. In the following centuries the church was enlarged and rebuilt several times, but the tower remained unchanged.

Address: Hof 1, 3811 CJ Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 2 EUR, children (under 12 yoa) – free of charge Opening times: check the website Website: joriskerkamersfoort.nl

When visiting Amersfoort, things to do that involve museums include a visit to the Flehite Museum. The museum houses an array of local paintings and artworks. The whole collection comprises of 27 000 objects, paintings, drawings and prints. There is also a large-scale model of the city as it was in the 17th century.

The museum is housed in three historical Medieval buildings from the so-called Muurhuizen (Wall Houses) type.

Address: Westsingel 50, 3811 BC Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 16 EUR, children (under 18 yoa) – free of charge Opening times: Tuesday-Sunday, from 10:00 till 17:00 Website: museumflehite.nl

Another of the things to see in Amersfoort that involve museums is Mondriaan’s House – the birthplace of Piet Mondriaan (1872-1944).

Mondriaan was the founder of abstract art and one of the contributors to the Dutch art movement De Stijl . Some of his famous works can be viewed at the museum.

Address: Kortegracht 11, 3811 KG Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 13 EUR, children (6-18 yoa) – 8 EUR Opening times: Tuesday-Sunday, from 10:00 till 17:00 Website: www.mondriaanhuis.nl

The Kunsthal KAdE is one of the more interesting Amersfoort tourist attractions – a museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art that has no permanent exhibitions. This gives them the freedom to constantly change the exhibitions, from one unique one to the next.

Past exhibitions include, for example, an Afro-American Art exhibition dedicated to the development of black art in the United States over the last century.

Address: Eemplein 77, 3812 EA, Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 13 EUR, children (under 18 yoa) – free Opening times: Tuesday-Sunday, from 10:00 till 17:00 Website: www.kunsthalkade.nl

Musiom is a modern museum dedicated to contemporary art by artists born in the mid-20th century. It is a fantastic museum that contains amazing artworks including paintings and glass art and not to be missed for the museum enthusiasts.

Address: Stadsring 137, 3817 BA Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 9 EUR, children (under 18 yoa) – free Opening times: Friday-Sunday, from 12:00 till 17:00 Website: musiom.art (only in Dutch)

The Rietveld Pavilion is one of the things to do in Amersfoort that cannot be missed. It was the first ever dedicated art hall in the Netherlands, designed by no other than the famous Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld . It is located in Zonnehof, which is a mere few streets outside of the city center, that was commissioned to celebrate the 700th birthday of the city.

As of October 2019 the 033fotostad museum for photography and visual arts is housed in the pavilion.

Pro Tip: The famous Rietveld-Schröder House in Utrecht , designed by Gerritt Rietveld, is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Netherlands

Address: Zonnehof 8, 3811 ND Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 5 EUR, children (under 18 yoa) – free Opening times: Thursday-Sunday, from 12:00 till 17:00 Website: www.033fotostad.com (only in Dutch)

Checking out the Amersfoort Boulder is definitely one of the most interesting things to do in Amersfoort. In 1661 the 7157-kilogram boulder was dragged into the city by some 400 citizens after being incentivized with beer and pretzels by Squire Everhard Meyster . The ‘boulder haulers’ as they were known, got mocked for their act and as a result, buried the boulder. It was later dug up in 1903, some 230 years later, and can be seen on the corner of Stadsring and Arnhemsestraat.

Fun fact: Amersfoort is often nicknamed the Keistad (the Boulder City) because of this story.

The old Harbour in Amersfoort is rather unique as it was protected from outside invasions by means of gates that bridge the port. This meant that ships and their contents were protected from being destroyed. It is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Amersfoort at night as the gate entrance is lit up and is rather easy on the eyes.

You can’t visit Amersfoort without taking a boat trip along the canals. The Medieval city is amazing from the water. You’ll pass by monuments like Monnikedam and Koppelpoort and will enjoy a relaxed day on water.

The boat trips are operated form April till November by the company Waterlijn Amersfoort . They offer 4 different routes of which the Vestingvaart along the 2nd city wall is the most popular one.

Originally a rural part of Amersfoort, De Nieuwe Stad , translating to “the New City”, went on to be an industrial center for a few decades. Today, the area is used to celebrate and acknowledge the coming together of different trades, people, and ideas from all walks of life. It’s a combination of historic buildings and factories.

Exploring the little city is a truly unique experience, and in addition to the historic buildings and factories, you’ll find a city square, an arboretum, and even a swimming pool, among other things.

Step back in time when you visit the Dutch Cavalry Museum located at the site of the Bernhardkazerne Barracks . Learn about the Royal Dutch Army as you wander around the museum – it covers over 425 years of history.

By means of an impressive collection of historical artefacts – including old uniforms, paintings, and even tanks – the museum traces Dutch army’s evolution from cavalry to the modern-day tank.

Address: Barchman Wuytierslaan 198, 3818 LN Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 5 EUR, children (6-18 yoa) – 3 EUR Opening times: Thursday-Friday, from 10:00 till 16:00 Website: cavaleriemuseum.nl

When it comes to the best things to do in Amersfoort with children, it doesn’t get better than the Amersfoort Zoo . Appropriate for little ones of all ages, as well as adults too, the zoo is home to a wide variety of animals.

If you’re looking for something a little different to do with the kids, check out the dinosaur park!

Tip: If you book your tickets in advance with a fixed date, you save 2 EUR per ticket!

Address: DierenPark Amersfoort, Barchman Wuytierslaan 224,3819 AC Amersfoort Admission fee: adults – 27,50 EUR (booked in advance: 25,50 EUR), kids (3-12 yoa) – 25 EUR (booked in advance: 25 EUR); parking fee: 9,50 EUR Opening times: daily, March-October, from 9:00 till 18:00; October-March, from 10:00 till 17:00 Website: dierenparkamersfoort.nl

Dating as far back as 1390, the Mannenzaal in Amersfoort was originally a site at which elderly locals were cared for during their final years. Translating directly to “Men’s Room”, the Mannenzaal underwent several renovations, and eventually the compound consisted of separate living quarters for men and women, as well as a chapel, among other things.

Visitors can explore this unique historical attraction, and on some occasions, there are even live reenactments.

As of April 2023 Mannenzaal will become part of the Flehite Museum. This section will be updated when more information is available.

Address: Westsingel 47, 3811 BB  Amersfoort

During medieval times, the sick in Amersfoort were cared for by the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit – later dubbed the “brethren of de poth” – and from the mid-16th century, they did so at De Armen de Poth.

This was a place where the brotherhood took care of the old and sick. Today, there are 49 houses in the complex and all but one are occupied by elderly people. One of the houses open for visits with a guided tour. The tour also include a visit to the Rochus Chapel.

The courtyard is absolutely adorable and has a free access.

Address: Pothstraat 16, 3811 JL Amersfoort

Built in memory of the concentration camp that was found where the monument is today, the National Monument of Kamp Amersfoort is an eye-opening yet somber experience. Approximately 47000 prisoners passed through the camp during the Second World War, including Jews, communists, and many other minorities. Sadly, Amersfoort was the site horrific abuse and executions during the ‘40s.

Today, the site has been transformed into a memorial center and museum, telling the stories of those who were imprisoned there by means of objects, documents, and photographs, making this one of the most interesting and educational things to do in Amersfoort.

Address: Loes van Overeemlaan 19, 3832 RZ Leusden Admission fee: adults – 9,50 EUR, children (8-18 yoa) – 5 EUR Opening times: Thursday-Friday, from 11:00 till 17:00; Saturday-Sunday, from 12:00 till 17:00 Website: www.kampamersfoort.nl

I trust that this guide will help you in exploring this gem of a Dutch city – a mere stone’s throw from Utrecht city. With so many wonderful buildings, historical gates and forts, and of course, some amazing monuments, you definitely won’t be disappointed on a visit to Amersfoort. There is also a plethora of welcoming cafes, restaurants, bars, and terraces to keep you hydrated and sustained during your stay.

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Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort

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Amersfoort was a full-blown Holocaust concentration camp, new study finds

Camp Amersfoort played a more significant role in the persecution and extermination of Jews in the Second World War than previously thought. The penal camp is known as a transit camp for forced laborers and detention for resistance fighters. But new research by historian Amanda Kluveld of Maastricht University showed that Camp Amersfoort was a full-blown Holocaust camp, Trouw reports .

Kluveld discovered that Camp Apersfoort was already a collection camp for Jews 10 months before Camp Westerbork opened. 82 Jews were murdered in the camp, including a baby. She discovered several direct deportations - two trains left for Auschwitz from Amersfoort, and almost 400 Jews were transported to Mauthausen penal camp, where they were murdered.

The historian published her findings in the book Het vergeten verhaal van de Joodse gevangenen van Kamp Amersfoort , which translates to “The forgotten story of the Jewish prisoners of Camp Amersfoort.” Her research took six years and is based on ego documents and statements from prisoners in post-war trials against Nazis, among other things.

“What happened to the Jews in Camp Amersfoort does not fit in with the relatively clean image that exists of the persecution of Jews in the Netherlands,” Kluveld said. “Pencils were stuck in their eyes, beards were set on fire, Jews were thrown into cesspools and beaten to death. These are practices of which we might think: that happened elsewhere. But it did happen here. And it also had a purpose.”

According to Kluveld, Jews were gruesomely treated and separated in Camp Amersfoort. The camp policy was to pit other prisoners against the relatively small group of Jews in the camp. There were around 47,000 prisoners in Camp Amersfoort, including 3,000 Jews. The Jewish prisoners received less food, for example, forcing them to steal from other prisoners. According to Kluveld, camp guards told prisoners who helped the Jews: “You will be an anti-Semite here within three months.”

Kluveld only described horrors in her book for which she found multiple sources. She left a lot out. “These examples say enough,” she said. She hopes that her research will help give Jewish prisoners in Amersfoort more recognition for the suffering, humiliation, and abuse they endured. “What we learn from this research is that Camp Amersfoort was the beginning of the end for many Jewish prisoners.”

“This research puts Camp Amersfoort in a completely different light,” Floris van Dijk, head of research at National Monument Camp Amersfoort, told Trouw. “In the post-war memory culture, the Jewish prisoners of this camp have been unfairly marginalized.”

“We could have guessed that it was bad, but the fact that it was that bad is really shocking,” Van Dijk said. There were many Nazi camps during WWII, and several of them played an important role in the Holocaust. “Camp Amersfoort does not appear on an international list of these camps. But Kluveld’s research shows very convincingly that Amersfoort should be among these.”

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National Monument Kamp Amersfoort / Inbo BV

• Curated by Paula Pintos
• Architects: Inbo BV
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  1126 m²
• Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2021
• Photographs Photographs: Ossip van Duivenbode , Mike Bink
• Building contractor : Salverda bouw
• Building Physics : Deerns
• Overall Responsibility:  Jacques Prins
• Architects:  Tom Hartmanns, Igor Sokolov, Stephanie Zeulevoet
• Project Coordination:  Frans Timmers, Bart van Veen
• Experience Design:  Tinker imagineers
• Willemien Meershoek En Floris Van Dijk:  National Monument Kamp Amersfoort (NMKA)
• Project Coordination And Management:  Royal HaskoningDHV
• Landscape Architect:  Juurlink [+] Geluk
• Structural Design:  Pieters Bouwtechniek
• City:  Leusden
• Country:  The Netherlands
• Did you collaborate on this project?

Text description provided by the architects. Seventy-five years after the liberation of the Netherlands from WWII, National Monument Kamp Amersfoort was due for an update. During WWII this concentration camp housed 47.000 prisoners. In 2005 Inbo was commissioned to design a museum at this site. The camp became a place for remembrance. After a few decades, the museum needed a different presentation. After all, every new generation looks at the past differently. We took a fresh look at this underexposed site, of which almost nothing original was left, and created an experienceable event. Part of the grounds of the Police Academy became available. This meant we could start using the original entrance gate, one of the few remaining authentic elements of the camp. We connected the camp site to the forest.

Because none of the original buildings were left, we decided to create a design that centres on the experience of emptiness and detachment. We mapped out a route through the empty exterior space to the new, underground museum and, via the existing pavilion, to the forest where the execution site is located. This route from light to dark and then back to light once more represents the experience. Almost nothing of the original site remains, so we had to rely on recreating the feeling of isolation, loneliness and terror by other means. The main theme is the route, the transition from the outside world, through a succession of gates and stairs. Visitors leaving the museum follow the route up the stairs. There, they face a direct view of the shooting range with at its extreme end monument ‘The Stone Man’ designed by Frits Sieger (1953). The architecture and the used materials enhance the experience. The black colour of the interior reinforces the transition from light to dark. The theme of the pavilion is ‘reflection’. Visitors are confronted with their own reflection. The poem by Armando at the entrance of the pavilion also hints at reflection. The new roll call area is surrounded by a fence made of Corten steel lamellas which enforce the impression of being isolated from the outside world. A new open space with concrete footprints symbolizes the roll call area. Every concentration camp had such a central point at which people had to stand at attention for long periods of time up to three times a day.

We marked the perimeter of the vacant space by 4.5 meter high Corten steel fence slats. We reconstructed the former ‘rose garden’, the fenced-off area used to punish people. We also built a model of the original camp. We moved the surviving murals back into their original location. A partially reconstructed cellar leads visitors to the underground wing (1,126 m²) that houses the permanent collection and a temporary exhibition. There is plenty of room for education. Current themes are used to address universal issues of right and wrong, bias and so on. For one thing, this section shows that discrimination is of all time, not only of WWII. The existing 2005 pavilion accommodates the museum shop and a hospitality venue. At a later stage the forested area will be laid out in accordance with its original purpose as a production forest.

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Herzogenbusch Subcamps

Millions of people suffered and died in camps, ghettos, and other sites during the Holocaust. The Nazis and their allies oversaw more than 44,000 camps, ghettos, and other sites of detention, persecution, forced labor, and murder. Among them were the subcamps of Herzogenbusch.

This subcamp, located in the former Police Transit Camp Amersfoort (Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Amersfoort, or PDA), existed only for a very short time, from May to July 1943. Its beginning implied the reopening of the PDA, which had been closed since January 1943. About 70 prisoners from the Jewish transit camp ( Judendurchgangslager ) and about 600 prisoners from the Durchgangslager Westerbork were put to work here. On behalf of the Luftwaffe, which had an air base close to the PDA, they had to work on the expansion of the shooting range. After about four weeks, the prisoners were sent back to their original camps, and other, non- Jewish, prisoners entered the camp.

Arnheim (Arnhem) was in operation as a subcamp from July to August 1943 and from January to September 1944.

In the first period of this Kommando, Jewish prisoners had to expand rifle ranges for Waffen-SS troops, who were quartered in the neighborhood and who supervised these works. The prisoners stayed in the Coehoornkazerne, a former barracks of the Dutch army.

In the second period, approximately 30 prisoners stayed in the Saxen Weimarkazerne (also a former barracks of the Dutch army). They had to do various works in order to expand the Luftwaffe air base Deelen. A Luftwaffe construction unit (Bauleitung) supervised these works.

In the Eindhoven subcamp, which existed from September 1943 to June 1944, prisoners were put to work for the construction of a new Luftwaffe air base, called Welschap. They worked under the supervision of a Luftwaffe construction unit (Bauleitung).

In Haaren, prisoners were put up in the prison of the German police and in a hostage camp ( Geisellager ), which was located in the former seminary, between January 1943 and September 1944. Prisoners had to execute various administrative tasks on behalf of the German police system.

Herzogenbusch (Continental Gummiwerke AG)

This subcamp, which existed from December 1943 to September 1944, was unique in two ways: It was the only one consisting of female prisoners, and it was the only Herzogenbusch subcamp in which prisoners had to do industrial labor. It was located in a factory of the German-owned Continental Gummiwerke, where prisoners had to manufacture gas masks.

The Leeuwarden subcamp, which existed only from February to March 1944, was unique in the sense that its population did not consist of Dutch prisoners but of German Kapos who had been convicted of misbehavior in the main camp. They were quartered in a Dutch prison in the city of Leeuwarden, which is located some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Herzogenbusch. Under the supervision of a Luftwaffe construction unit (Bauleitung), a group of about 40 people had to dismantle unexploded bombs at the local Luftwaffe air base. After a couple of weeks, they were sent back to the main camp.

Moerdijk is the name of a village and an area located between the rivers in the southwestern part of the Netherlands. As such, it was of the utmost strategic significance. The defense of this area would enable the Germans to repel an Allied attack from the south on the city of Rotterdam (with its important port) and the center of the country.

Among the Herzogenbusch external detachments, the one in Moerdijk, which existed from March 1943 to February 1944, was the largest. Initially, some 500 male prisoners from the Jewish transit camp ( Judendurchgangslager ) were selected and transported to barracks that originally belonged to the Dutch river police and were located a couple of kilometers (about a mile and a half) from the village. Together with some non-Jewish prisoners and under supervision of an Organisation Todt (OT) construction unit (Bauleitung), they mostly had to dig antitank ditches on different, sometimes coastal, locations. These and other defenses were carried out by a Dutch contractor.

At the same time, other Jewish prisoners formed a clothing detachment (Bekleidungskommando) for making clothes for SS members who made up the staff and guard of Moerdijk.

In October 1944, all the Jewish prisoners were brought back to the main camp, from which they were deported to Auschwitz on November 15, 1944. These prisoners were replaced by non-Jewish prisoners, mostly people arrested for helping Jews. In the end, the Moerdijk camp is said to have had about 1,000 prisoners.

The Roosendaal subcamp, located not far from the Belgian border, existed only for a very short time, from February to April 1944. The prisoners, all male Jews, stayed in an agricultural college. Under supervision of an Organisation Todt (OT) construction unit (Bauleitung), they had to work on various kinds of defenses, the construction of which a Dutch contractor carried out. These defenses were part of the Atlantic Wall.

’s-Gravenhage

A very small subcamp existed at ’s-Gravenhage from September 1943 to July 1944. Prisoners were deployed for various administrative tasks on behalf of the German police system.

St. Michielsgestel

As in the external detachment at Haaren, prisoners in St. Michielsgestel had to execute various administrative tasks on behalf of the German police system. They were quartered in a hostage camp ( Geisellager ), which was located in the former youth seminary. This camp existed from January 1943 to September 1944.

In the Venlo subcamp, the prisoners (including, for a short period, Jews) had to perform various tasks for the preparation of a new Luftwaffe air base. They stayed in a hangar and worked under the supervision of a Luftwaffe construction unit (Bauleitung). The camp existed from September 1943 to September 1944.

Research to date has revealed no substantial sources that are specific to these subcamps. 

Critical Thinking Questions

• To what degree was the local population aware of the main camp and its subcamps, their purpose, and the conditions within? How would you begin to research this question?
• Where were camps located?
• Did the outside world have any knowledge about these camps? If so, what, if any, actions were taken by other governments and their officials?
• What choices do countries have to prevent, mediate, or end the mistreatment of imprisoned civilians in other nations?

Further Reading

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933-1945. Vol 1, Early Camps, Youth Camps, and Concentration Camps and Subcamps under the SS-Business Administration Main Office (WVHA) , ed. Geoffrey Megargee. Bloomington: Indiana University Press in association with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2009.

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Expat Info News

New study finds that Camp Amersfoort played a key role in the Holocaust

A new study has found that Camp Amersfoort played a more significant role in the persecution and extermination of Jews during the Second World War than originally thought. The camp was previously understood to have been a transit camp for forced labourers and detention facility for resistance fighters, but researchers now believe that the camp was also used for torture and murder of Jews. 

Researchers from Maastricht University uncover new crimes at Camp Amersfoort

The researchers who made the discovery are a team from Maastricht University, according to reporting from Trouw . The team, headed up by expert Amanda Kluveld, found that the camp was a collection camp for Jews for 10 months before the opening of Camp Westerbork, which held almost 100.000 people in detention before transporting them for torture and execution at death camps in Germany and occupied Poland. 

The team of researchers have found that 82 Jews were murdered at Camp Amersfoort, including one baby . At least two trains departed to transport Jews to Auschwitz from Camp Amersfoort, and almost 400 Jews were transported to Mauthausen penal camp from Amersfoort’s detention facility, where they were then murdered.

New findings to be published in book

The new findings are set to be published in a book. Het vergeten verhaal van de Joodse gevangenen van Kamp Amersfoort ( The Forgotten Story of the Jewish Prisoners of Camp Amersfoort ), is based on six years of researching the history of the camp and uses autobiographical documents, as well as statements from prisoners in post-war trials against Nazis. 

“What happened to the Jews in Camp Amersfoort does not fit in with the relatively clean image that exists of the persecution of Jews in the Netherlands,” Kluveld said. “Pencils were stuck in their eyes, beards were set on fire, Jews were thrown into cesspools and beaten to death. These are practices of which we might think: that happened elsewhere. But it did happen here. And it also had a purpose.”

Kluveld only included accusations and re-tellings of events she found multiple accounts for. “These examples say enough,” she said, explaining why she didn’t include every piece of evidence and documentation she has read. “What we learn from this research is that Camp Amersfoort was the beginning of the end for many Jewish prisoners.”

Thumb image credit: Maurizio Fabbroni / Shutterstock.com

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Emily grew up in the UK before moving abroad to study International Relations and Chinese. She then obtained a Master's degree in International Security and gained an interest in journalism....

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Basic information

• Admission to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free of charge. The entry cards should be reserved on  visit.auschwitz.org . For better understanding the history of Auschwitz we suggest a visit with a guide-educator

• The fees are charged for  engaging a guide-educator . Visitors in groups are required to engage an Auschwitz Memorial guide. There is also possibility for individual visitors to join a guided tour .  

• The Museum  also  organizes  online guided tours   for groups and individual visitors .

• Due to overwhelming demand, please book in advance and arrive at the Memorial at least 30 minutes before the start of the tour due to security checks. The main car park and entrance to the Museum is located at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street .

• Visitors to the grounds of the Museum should behave with due solemnity and respect. Visitors are obliged to dress in a manner befitting a place of this nature. Before the visit please read " the rules for visiting ".

• The grounds and buildings of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps are open to visitors. The duration of a visit is determined solely by the individual interests and needs of the visitors. As a minimum, however, at least three-and-a-half hours should be reserved.

• The maximum size of backpacks or handbags brought into the Museum can not exceed dimensions: 35x25x15 cm . Please leave your bags in your cars or buses.

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Multibook - preparing for a visit to the Memorial Site

DEUTSCH   |  ESPAÑOL   |   FRANÇAIS   |   ITALIANO  

Multibook is also available in I nternational Sign language

Guided Tours for Individual Visitors

Individual visitors may tour the Memorial independently or in organised groups with a guide.

Entrance to the Museum, to both Auschwitz I and Birkenau parts, is possible only with a personalized entry pass booked in advance. Reservations can be made at visit.auschwitz.org or on the spot at the cashier. The number of entry passes available is limited.

Due to the huge interest, visitors are kindly requested to book in advance at the website visit.auschwitz.org, as well as to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the tour. Larger luggage should be left in vehicles in the car park. Before the visit, please read the rules of visiting and the opening hours of the Museum.

HOURS OF THE VISIT CAN BE RESERVED ONLINE: VISIT.AUSCHWITZ.ORG

Online guided tours

The online guided tour lasts about two hours and is divided into two parts – in Auschwitz I and Birkenau. The guide's narration is conducted live. Additionally, the educator uses multimedia materials, archival photographs, artistic works, documents, and testimonies of Survivors. Interaction with the guide and asking questions is also possible. 

GROUPS / SCHOOLS

The tour for groups is available in 7 languages (English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, and Spanish). Bookings can be made after logging in via a form available on visit.auschwitz.org .

TOURS FOR INDIVIDUAL VISITORS

Individual visitors can join guided tours starting at set times of the day in English, German and Polish.  Entry cards are available at visit.auschwitz.org .

Check the hours of online guided tours for individual visitors . 

Learn more about "Auschwitz in Front of Your Eyes" platform.

Guided tours options. Prices.

We offer visitors several options for guided tours. Each includes tours of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

• General tours (2,5 h) • General tours (3,5 h) • Guided tours for individual visitors (3,5 h) • One-day study tours (6 h) • Two-day study tours (2x3 h) • Online tour (2 h)

Because of a large number of visitors guides should be reserved at least two months before a planned visit.

Plan a visit

In order to take in the grounds and exhibitions in a suitable way, visitors should set aside a minimum of about 90 minutes for the Auschwitz site and the same amount of time for Auschwitz II-Birkenau. It is essential to visit both parts of the camp, Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, in order to acquire a proper sense of the place that has become the symbol of the Holocaust of the European Jews as well as Nazi crimes againt Poles, Romas and other groups.

The grounds and most of the buildings at the sites of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau sites are open to visitors. Some buildings are not accessible to visitors (including the blocks reserved for the Museum administration and its departments). Please familiarize yourself with " the rules for visiting ".

Opening hours

The Museum is open all year long, seven days a week, except January 1, December 25, and Easter Sunday. You can start the visit in the following hours*:

• 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM December
• 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM January, November
• 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM February
• 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM March, October
• 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM April, May, September
• 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM June, July, August

* These are the hours of entrance to the Museum. A visitor may stay on the site of the Museum 90 minutes after the last entrance hour (i.e. 5.30 in February or 8.30 in July) 

"Reserve" buildings available for the visitors

Study tour groups may visit Block 2 and 3 of the former Auschwitz I camp and wooden hospital barracks (B-80 and B-210) at the Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp. Block 2 and 3 are ones of so-called "reserve blocks" of the Museum, maintained and presented in their original condition. Since the liberation of the camp, the interior of the blocks has been preserved almost intact. It comprises rooms for prisoners, a washroom, toilets and other areas, furnished with original strawbeds, bunks and other elements of block furnishing. 

Getting to the Museum

The Museum is located on the outskirts of the city of Oświęcim on provincial road 933. The visit starts at the former Auschwitz I site. The Museum is about 2 km. from the train station and can be reached from there by local buses. (GPS coordinates: GPS coordinates: 19.20363 E, 50.0266 N )

There are PKS and minibus stops adjacent to the Museum, with service to Cracow and Katowice. There are also two international airports within about 50 kilometers of Oświęcim: Kraków-Balice and Katowice-Pyrzowice.

More information for visitors (i.e. transport, weather)

Temporarily closed for visitors

Closed for the visitors:

• parts of the Auschwitz II-Birkenau 

• part of the exhibition in Blocks 5 and 6 in Auschwitz I

• the Russian exhibition in Block 14

• The so-called Central Sauna building in Auschwitz II-Birkenau

• the Slovak exhibition in Block 16

• via @auschwitzmuseum" aria-label="Udostępnij na Twitter">

Images from www.auschwitz.org may be used only in publications relating to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau or the activities of the Auschwitz Memorial. Their use must not tarnish the good reputation of the victims of KL Auschwitz. Any interference in the integrity of the images – including cropping or graphic processing – is prohibited. The use of the images for commercial purposes requires the Museum’s approval and information about the publication. Publishers undertake to indicate the authors and origin of the images: www.auschwitz.org, as well as to inform the Museum of the use of the images ([email protected]).

Watch CBS News

Victims of Nazi concentration camps built in British Channel Islands finally being counted

By Holly Williams

April 21, 2024 / 7:00 PM EDT / CBS News

The names Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and Buchenwald are infamous as the scene of atrocities -- concentration camps, run by Adolf Hitler's notorious SS.

But what you may be surprised to learn, as we were, is that two Nazi concentration camps were established on British soil in the Channel Islands, around 80 miles from the British mainland. The islands lie just off the coast of France, became possessions of the English crown around a thousand years ago – and were occupied by Germany for nearly five years during World War II. Even in the United Kingdom many people don't know about the camps -- and as we discovered, exactly what happened there is hotly disputed.

Holly Williams: It's pretty well hidden, isn't it?

Marcus Roberts: Yeah, well, if you--

Holly Williams: It's all overgrown.

Marcus Roberts: If you didn't know how to get here, you wouldn't easily stumble across it.

Marcus Roberts: This was a sort of back entrance…

There's not much left of the Third Reich's Lager Sylt concentration camp… on the windswept island of Alderney -- about three miles long and one and a half wide – nature is gradually swallowing up its crumbling concrete walls. 

Holly Williams: And the camp's up here…--

Marcus Roberts: These take you straight into the-- the camp.

Holly Williams: Wow.

Marcus Roberts is an Oxford-educated amateur historian who runs heritage tours. He's spent years researching this forgotten chapter in British history. 

Marcus Roberts:  So undoubtedly if you wanted to put-- a pin on the map, you could say, "This is where the Holocaust happened on British sovereign territory."

When Germany invaded France in 1940, the British government calculated that the Channel Islands had no strategic value – and gave them up without a fight. Nearly all of the residents of Alderney decided to evacuate before the German troops arrived. On the empty island, the Germans set up two concentration camps – as well as labor camps. They brought in prisoners of war and forced laborers to build giant fortifications that still survive today -- part of Hitler's Atlantic wall to protect against Allied attack. A minority of them were Jewish – others were from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Spain. 

Holly Williams: I understand this was called the Tunnel of Death?

Marcus Roberts: Yes. It was notorious in the memory of prisoners. On two occasions, they were forced to cram in here in an apparent rehearsal for their own death. 

After the war, in 1945, the British military investigated the camps, and put the death toll on Alderney in the low hundreds. Some of those who lost their lives were buried under this plot of land. But Marcus Roberts and others argue that more than 10,000 must have died on the island – based on controversial calculations about the size of the labor force needed to build the fortifications. Roberts told us it's because he's Jewish that he's determined to count all of the dead. 

Marcus Roberts: There is the-- the Jewish instinct to, you know, leave no one behind

Holly Williams: You're trying to make sure that all the Jewish dead are counted?

Marcus Roberts: Remembered. If you don't remember a life, it's as if they've never lived at all. 

Most academics dispute Roberts' estimate of the death toll, but partly as a result of those disagreements, last year the British government appointed a team of researchers to comb through archives across Europe, and more accurately count the number of prisoners who died on Alderney. Dr. Gilly Carr -- an archaeologist at Cambridge University -- is coordinating the review.

Holly Williams: Why is this just a document search, not a dig?

Gilly Carr: It is likely that some of the people in mass graves were Jewish. And according to Halakha or Jewish law, you cannot disturb the dead. But the second reason is that according to prisoner statements, some people were dumped at sea or thrown off cliffs. What are we going to do? Dig up the entire island? Well, we can't do that.

The researchers are drawing on rich material. The Nazis were meticulous record keepers -- and British archives contain first hand testimonies from survivors.

Holly Williams: Look at this. "We were beaten with everything they could lay their hands on: with sticks, spades, pickaxes." 

Gilly Carr: It sounds absolutely ghastly.

Holly Williams: "On certain days, five to six, up to 10 men died."

Dr. Carr told us there's no evidence that gas chambers were used on Alderney -- but there were summary executions, and the prisoners built the Nazi fortifications on starvation rations.

Holly Williams: Were they taken to Alderney to be worked to death?

Gilly Carr: They were certainly seen as expendable. The aim was to get every ounce of work out of them. And if they died, it didn't matter, and that was kind of perhaps "expected."

Holly Williams: They were disposable human beings.

Gilly Carr: Yes. Yes.

Holly Williams: How did your father end up in Alderney?

At a pub in the Channel Islands, we met Gary Font. His father – Francisco Font – fought on the losing side in the Spanish Civil War, was arrested in France, handed over to the Germans, and sent to a concentration camp on Alderney. Francisco survived, and later married a British woman -- Gary's mother.

Gary Font: He witnessed-- the execution of a young Soviet boy who decided to leave the working detail and to change his footwear. So he started to pick up these paper bags, and wrap them 'round his feet, and then tie them with string. And a SS guard had seen him do this, and walked up to him and-- and shot him-- point-blank range.

Gary told us his father's experiences left him scarred. 

Gary Font: I saw the emotion on his face. Yeah, it's a tough one.

Holly Williams: Do you think that emotion came from-- that he had survived the War in Spain, and survived the camp here?

Gary Font: Yeah, exactly. That was the first time I realized, "Wow, you know, this man has a deep-rooted emotion inside of him that he could never get out."

The British government's effort to get the truth out – by recounting the dead – was commissioned by Lord Pickles – a former cabinet minister and now the U.K.'s envoy for post-Holocaust issues.

Lord Pickles: The figures vary, not by a few hundred, not by a few thousand, by-- by tens of thousands. 

Holly Williams: So it was the controversy that prompted you to commission the review?

Lord Pickles: Yes. It seemed to me that the sensible thing was, "Well, okay. Let's do that-- this in the open. Let's do it fully transparent.

He's also asked the researchers to put names to as many of those killed as they can.

Lord Pickles: If you remember them as individuals, then it's another blow against Hitler. Hitler wanted to eradicate the memory of people.

Holly Williams: So this is kind of an ongoing fight against Hitler and his ideas?

Lord Pickles: Hitler's evil hand still continues to affect-- to affect Europe and to affect the world.

But it's taken nearly 80 years for the British government to re-examine what happened on Alderney -- and to make its report public. The official British investigations in 1945 were classified for decades. And unlike the trials of Nazi officials in Nuremberg -- the British authorities failed to prosecute a single German officer who worked on Alderney – even though many of them ended up in British prisoner of war camps.

Holly Williams: I mean just to be clear, these are possible war criminals. The British government has gathered evidence against-- against them. And they are in British custody.

Gilly Carr: Yes, they are at this point, yes.

Holly Williams: A sort of slam-dunk case?

Gilly Carr: You'd have thought. 

That's led Marcus Roberts and others to claim that the British government tried to cover-up the extent of the atrocities on Alderney. Dr. Carr told us that could be true -- but one key document from the British War Office investigation that may explain why there were no prosecutions is missing.

Gilly Carr: It could have been shredded-- decades ago as part of, "What do we need these files for anymore?

Holly Williams: But could it also have been shredded for more nefarious purposes?

Gilly Carr: I have no idea. In order for me to say there was a cover-up, I want to see the decisions taken. I want to look through those steps and to make up my own mind.

Holly Williams: Why might the British government have tried to cover up or whitewash what happened on Alderney and-- and maybe more broadly, on the Channel Islands?

Gilly Carr: There are some things that-- that happened that might not-- that the British government might not necessarily have wanted a wider audience to know about. 

Those things – once feared too troubling for the broader public – happened on three of the other Channel Islands -- where most residents did not evacuate before the occupation. When the Germans arrived, the locals mostly cooperated – often with little choice. Hitler's portrait was hung outside this cinema on the island of Guernsey. Nazi propaganda showed the British police working for German troops. And British newspapers on the islands printed orders from Berlin.

Holly Williams: This is a British newspaper. And it's got the swastika on top.

Linda Romeril: That's right.

At the official archives on the island of Jersey, Linda Romeril showed us how British officials implemented Nazi policies -- asking Jewish residents to identify themselves, and then confiscating their assets.

Linda Romeril: There was a huge amount of requisitioning of people's houses, people's property during the occupation period.

But some resisted -- risking punishment to paint anti-nazi graffiti, and illegally listening to British news on the radio.

Jenny Lecoat: That's my great aunt Louisa. I suspect that she was probably quite steely.

One member of the resistance was Louisa Gould -- who hid an escaped Russian prisoner in her home for nearly two years. Jenny Lecoat told us when her great aunt Louisa was finally caught, she was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany.

Holly Williams: She was killed in a Nazi gas chamber?

Jenny Lecoat: She was gassed to death, yeah.

Holly Williams: After the occupation, did the British government get in touch with your family to talk about what Louisa had done during the occupation, and about her murder by the Nazis?

Jenny Lecoat: The British government, I think, were kind of ashamed. They were horrified it had happened, and they didn't really want to get too involved in what had gone on there.

Holly Williams: Not wanting to talk about the resistance? Or not wanting to talk about the occupation at all?

Jenny Lecoat: Well, it was such a mixed picture. There were people who had resisted the Germans as much as resistance was possible within a tiny, nine-by-five-mile island. And there were also people who'd collaborated. Some people had betrayed their own country. The only possible legislation was treason, which was still a hanging offense. They didn't wanna get into that. That was the confusing, messy, dirty mixed picture of-- of the Channel Islands occupation.

We'll learn more about that messy, dirty history when the British government's review of the death toll at the camps on Alderney is published next month. But it's unlikely to satisfy everyone.

Marcus Roberts: Some kind of-- ap-- apology and, you know, moral recompense would be helpful.

Holly Williams: You-- you want the British government to apologize--

Marcus Roberts: Yeah. I'd like--

Holly Williams: --for not having prosecuted alleged war criminals?

Marcus Roberts: Yeah. So I think it would be appropriate for them to recognize what should have been done, didn't happen.

The horrors carried out on this tiny, remote island are difficult to imagine... the victims were silenced and buried… but now, nearly eight decades later, they're finally being counted.

Produced by Justine Redman and Erin Lyall. Associate producer, Matthew Riley. Broadcast associate, Eliza Costas. Edited by Peter M. Berman.

Holly Williams is a CBS News senior foreign correspondent based in the network's CBS London bureau.

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