Amsterdam: WWII Walking Tour｜Netherlands

Begin your journey at the Concertgebouw on Museum Square, an area that served as the nerve center for the Nazi administration. Start by looking at the human side of the war through the eyes of two neighbors: Etty Hillesum, the courageous diary writer who chronicled the soul's survival under oppression, and Tony van Renterghem, a dashing war hero and spy. Their stories set the stage for a tour that prioritizes personal narratives over dry statistics.

As you walk toward the Golden Bend and the Mayor’s Residence, uncover the "hardware" of the war. See the infamous "Robbery Bank," where Jewish assets were systematically stolen, and learn about the intricate bank frauds used by the resistance to fund their underground operations. Stop at the Tuschinski Theatre, a masterpiece of architecture with a heartbreaking wartime history involving its Jewish founder.

Explore the uncomfortable truths of historical corruption and how the narrative of the war has been used and abused over the decades. Address the loss of 10% of the city’s population and the visible "scars" that remain on the city's facade today, including the site of a Halifax aircraft crash right in the city center.

Culminate your tour at Dam Square. Here, the story of the Dutch Royal Family comes to life. Analyze Queen Wilhelmina’s role from London and the heroic actions of the Royal Palace concierge. Finally, recount the tragic events of May 7th, 1945—a day that should have been for celebration, but instead turned into one of Amsterdam’s final wartime tragedies.