Netherlands – Jewish Quarter and Nightlife

April 12, 2025

It is a spectacular day in Amsterdam. The sky is blue with few clouds and it is going to be in the high 70’s

I am doing a walkabout of the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam. This neighborhood was severely impacted by the Nazi occupation from 1940-1945. My guide’s grandfather was one of the over 600 babies that were smuggled out of the nursery school across from the detention center.

Our first stop was the memorial walk along the canal where the row of houses on the other side was at the center of the deportations. The house number along with the deportees from the house who died in the camps is memorized with their age at death. A sobering thought that an entire neighborhood was wiped out.

Next we walked to the Holocaust Memorial that commemorates the approximately 102,000 Jewish victims from the Netherlands who were arrested by the Nazi regime during the German occupation of the country (1940-1945), deported and mostly murdered in the Auschwitz and Sobibor death camps, as well as 220 Roma and Sinti victims. Each victim is memorialize with a brick. Anne Frank, her sister and mother are among the victims.

We walked the neighborhood while Ben told stories of how neighbors turned on each other in a desperate attempt to survive! He told stories of the ones who died trying to resist. Sadly most were the silent majority as more and more rules against the Jews were imposed they did nothing.

The Anne Frank home was sobering and yet inspiring. The life behind the bookcase was hard but the thoughts of a teenager growing up in hiding is inspiring. Interning that the toilet bowl was a Delft Blue creation. Sad that she died only two weeks before the camp was liberated as she had a future as a great writer.

Off to something fun! I went to the Stroopwafel Workshop to learn how to make these tasty treats. Not a lot of pictures because my phone was in my pocket and my hands were in the dough. Good news is I received my certificate and got to eat my work!!!!

At sunset I went on a boat tour of the canals! What a fun way to catch the sunset!

Last stop of an incredible day was a walkthrough of the infamous red light district! It was teaming with tourist, customers and service providers.

Headed back to the hotel after midnight I reflected on the day filled with learning and fun!!

Best day ever….so far!!!