in detail
In 1941, what was officially known as Amersfoort's »police transit camp« on the southern outskirts of the Dutch town was established as a Security Service camp. The camp was a place dominated by hunger, chaos, fear and violence. Sanitary conditions were appalling. It was used at the same time as a »transit camp« and as a »protective custody« or »punishment camp«. A total of more than 37,000 prisoners were detained in Amersfoort. 9,000 of those served sentences of several months and around 20,000 prisoners were deported from here to other concentration camps. A number of prisoners were shot dead at the camp.
Following the hand-over of the camp to the Red Cross and its liberation by Allied troops in 1945, Amersfoort Camp was inaugurated as a national memorial in 1953. Former camp prisoners financed the construction of a statue called »Man of Stone«, which was erected on the camp's former shooting range. The buildings on the camp grounds, which became a barracks after 1946, were completely torn down between 1969 and 1971. In 1995 a new memorial was built, and following its complete renovation was extended to house a visitors centre in 2002.
In 1941 the occupying German forces established the Amersfoort's »police transit camp«. The camp gained a reputation for its notoriously bad conditions and was used as a »punishment camp« as well as a »transit camp«.
A number of Jews were among those held here. A large number of detainees were executed, including Russian prisoners of war.
In 1953 Amersfoort Camp was inaugurated as a national memorial. In 1995 a new memorial was opened, which was fully renovated seven years later.
May 1941
Establishment of Amersfoort Camp (Amersfoort Police Transit Camp); first prisoners arrived in August.
7 May 1945
Allied troops reached the Amersfoort Camp. Afterward it became a Red Cross reception camp for repatriated citizens and the army used the camp as a prison for war criminals and collaborators.
1953
Inauguration of the Amersfoort Camp National Memorial.
1969 to 1971
Demolition of the camp, which had been used for years as a barracks.
1995
Establishment of a new memorial.
19 April 2004
Completion of the new visitors centre, to complement various existing monuments and museum buildings located on the grounds since 1947.
Leusden, 1941/42, View of the camp, Amersfoort Camp National Memorial.
Leusden, 2004, View of the visitor centre from the site of the former shooting range, Amersfoort Camp National Memorial.
Leusden, 5 May 2001, Monument »Man of Stone«, Amersfoort Camp National Memorial.
