Just a short distance from the city center is Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort, a place where you can stop and reflect on a moving piece of history. Here you will discover what daily life was like for about 47,000 prisoners during World War II, in a concentration camp where hunger, abuse, forced labor and the constant threat of executions and transport prevailed. In the museum, at the original barracks and on the grounds, the personal stories of the prisoners come to life up close and tangible.
Kamp Amersfoort
Kamp Amersfoort was established in 1941 on land that had previously served as the barracks grounds of the Dutch army. Originally, the camp functioned as a transit camp: prisoners stayed there temporarily before being sent to other camps. Soon it grew into a closely guarded concentration camp. From August 1941, various groups of prisoners were imprisoned here by the Nazis including : resistance fighters, people evading the mandatory Arbeitseinsatz, communists, hostages, (alleged) criminals, Jews, American citizens, Jehovah's Witnesses and Soviet prisoners of war. In the camp, the prisoners had to perform hard labor, lived in deplorable conditions and were regularly punished by the guards. For many, their stay meant the loss of their freedom, health or life.
Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort
A memorial center was opened on the historic site of Kamp Amersfoort in 2004 and an expanded museum was added in 2021. The 1,100 m² underground museum tells the history of the camp with objects, photographs, documents and changing exhibitions, in conjunction with the monuments and visible traces on the outdoor grounds. Visitors can view original barracks and prison rooms, see personal belongings and experience reconstructions.
Days of Remembrance
On May 4 may the victims of World War II are remembered throughout the Netherlands. Kamp Amersfoort also hosts an annual commemoration, where relatives, visitors and organizations come together to honor the thousands of prisoners who lost their freedom or their lives here. The day after, on may 5, the Netherlands celebrates its liberation. The importance of freedom, democracy and human rights is then remembered in Amersfoort.
For Kamp Amersfoort itself, April 19 and may 7 may 1945 are important dates. On April 19, the German camp staff transferred management to the Red Cross, allowing the prisoners to be unguarded and receive care for the first time. Actual liberation followed on may 7, when Canadian soldiers reached the camp.
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