State Secretary Karremans: “The cabinet considers it of great importance that the story of the Holocaust and World War II is continuously told. We owe it to the victims to never forget them and to make the importance of peace, freedom, and democracy clear. The former Westerbork Camp is one of the most tangible places in the Netherlands where the horrors of the Holocaust took place. Therefore, we as a cabinet feel responsible for keeping the memorial center accessible for future generations.”
Renovation of Westerbork
The National Memorial Center Camp Westerbork, opened in 1983, is the oldest memorial center in the Netherlands. From this location, more than 100,000 Dutch Jews, Sinti, and Roma were deported to Nazi extermination camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau and Sobibor. Westerbork thus occupies a central place in the transfer of knowledge about World War II and the Holocaust. The current facilities of Westerbork are no longer sufficient to tell this story to the increasing number of visitors and students. The renovation of the camp grounds and the construction of a new museum will make it possible for more Dutch people to engage with this important part of our history.
Strengthening the WWII Sector
The story of World War II and the Holocaust and the lessons we can learn from it are more relevant than ever. Therefore, the cabinet is structurally providing extra funds for the strengthening of the overall World War II sector, increasing to an amount of 6.5 million euros by 2029. With this, the cabinet aims to further strengthen and expand the infrastructure throughout the Netherlands, so that everyone in the Netherlands can engage with the story of World War II and the Holocaust in an accessible and qualitatively good manner. To achieve this, organizations such as the National Committee 4 and 5 May, the National Memorial Centers (National Memorial Center Camp Westerbork, National Monument Camp Vught, National Monument Camp Amersfoort, Oranjehotel, and Indisch Memorial Center) and the major war museums will be strengthened. The House of Representatives will be informed shortly about the further plans.