in detail
The Westerbork Camp, which was established in 1939 as a Dutch camp for German refugees, was handed over to the SS on 1 July 1942. The first deportation train left the camp on 15 July. Until September 1944, more than 100,000 Jews were deported from the »police transition camp for Jews« to the concentration and extermination camps Auschwitz, Sobibor, Theresienstadt and Bergen-Belsen, from where only 5,000 returned.
The Kamp Westerbork Remembrance Centre consists of three central sections: the historical site of the former camp grounds, the »National Memorial of Westerbork« and the modern museum complex. The museum conveys the historical and contemporary significance of the Westerbork Camp using multi-media technology in the form of a permanent exhibition and temporary exhibitions dealing with different themes.
The museum's educational concept focuses on people: on camp prisoners, perpetrators and »bystanders«. The museum's extended educational department works with the concept »a name, a face«. It intends to give the 102,000 people murdered there a face by presenting the historical events on the basis of individual fates. For example, thematic introductions take the visitor's place of origin as their starting point.
The former Westerbork camp, which was a »police transition camp for Jews« from 1942 to 1945, is now a central memorial site in the Netherlands.
Between July 1942 and September 1944, more than 100,000 Jews were deported from there to the concentration and extermination camps Auschwitz, Sobibor, Theresienstadt and Bergen-Belsen in 93 transports.
1939
The camp was established as a Dutch internment camp for refugees from Germany.
1 July 1942
Handover to the SS.
15 July 1942 to September 1944
Deportation of 100,000 Dutch Jews to concentration and extermination camps.
1970
Unveiling of the National Memorial of Westerbork by Princess Juliana.
1983
Opening of the Kamp Westerbork Remembrance Centre by Queen Beatrix.
1992
Inauguration of the newly designed camp grounds by Princess Margriet.
1999
Inauguration of the new building of the Kamp Westerbork Remebrance Centre by the Dutch government.
2001
Unveiling of the ‘Tekens in Westerbork’ (Signs in Westerbork) by President W. Kok.
Westerbork, 1943/44, View of the »Boulevard of Misery«, the main camp road, Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork/NIOD.
Westerbork, 1999, The memorial symbolizes the 93 transports that left the transit camp, Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork.
Westerbork, 1999, Primary school children at the exhibition, Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork.
Westerbork, 1942, A transport leaves the transit camp, Yad Vashem.
