On April 24, 2025, Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema delivered a poignant apology for the city's role in the Holocaust, marking eight decades since World War II’s conclusion. In her heartfelt speech at the Hollandsche Schouwburg, a former deportation center, she expressed deep regret for how local authorities "horribly abandoned" the city's Jewish inhabitants. Reflecting on the loss of more than 60,000 Jewish lives from a pre-war population of 80,000, Halsema underscored the extensive collaboration between city officials and Nazi occupiers, stating, “Administrators and officials were not only cold and formalistic, but even willing to cooperate with the occupier.” The recognition aims to confront a painful history of neglect and betrayal that still resonates today, serving as a reminder of the critical need to address past injustices and combat ongoing antisemitism.
Amsterdam's Mayor Acknowledges City's Dark Past During Holocaust
Amsterdam's Mayor Acknowledges City's Dark Past During Holocaust
In a historic address, Mayor Femke Halsema admits to Amsterdam’s failures in supporting its Jewish community during WWII.
Amsterdam's Mayor Acknowledges City's Dark Past During Holocaust
In a historic address, Mayor Femke Halsema admits to Amsterdam’s failures in supporting its Jewish community during WWII.
On April 24, 2025, Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema delivered a poignant apology for the city's role in the Holocaust, marking eight decades since World War II’s conclusion. In her heartfelt speech at the Hollandsche Schouwburg, a former deportation center, she expressed deep regret for how local authorities "horribly abandoned" the city's Jewish inhabitants. Reflecting on the loss of more than 60,000 Jewish lives from a pre-war population of 80,000, Halsema underscored the extensive collaboration between city officials and Nazi occupiers, stating, “Administrators and officials were not only cold and formalistic, but even willing to cooperate with the occupier.” The recognition aims to confront a painful history of neglect and betrayal that still resonates today, serving as a reminder of the critical need to address past injustices and combat ongoing antisemitism.
In a historic address, Mayor Femke Halsema admits to Amsterdam’s failures in supporting its Jewish community during WWII.
On April 24, 2025, Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema delivered a poignant apology for the city's role in the Holocaust, marking eight decades since World War II’s conclusion. In her heartfelt speech at the Hollandsche Schouwburg, a former deportation center, she expressed deep regret for how local authorities "horribly abandoned" the city's Jewish inhabitants. Reflecting on the loss of more than 60,000 Jewish lives from a pre-war population of 80,000, Halsema underscored the extensive collaboration between city officials and Nazi occupiers, stating, “Administrators and officials were not only cold and formalistic, but even willing to cooperate with the occupier.” The recognition aims to confront a painful history of neglect and betrayal that still resonates today, serving as a reminder of the critical need to address past injustices and combat ongoing antisemitism.
