News item | 18-04-2025 | 12:10
The cabinet is making € 15 million available for the renovation plans of National Remembrance Center Camp Westerbork. This is stated in the spring memorandum that was sent to the Lower House today. With the contribution, the renewal plans that the Remembrance Center presented last year can start phased in phases. In addition, there are also extra millions available for the overall second world war sector.
State Secretary Karremans: “The cabinet believes it is of great importance that the story of the Holocaust and the Second World War is permanently told. We are obliged to never forget them and to make the importance of peace, freedom and democracy insightful. Former camp Westerbork is one of the most tangible spots in the Cabinet of the Holocaust as the horrific of the horris of the horrific of the holoca. to keep the remembrance center accessible for upcoming generations. “
Westerbork renewal
Kamp Westerbork National Remembrance Center, opened in 1983, is the oldest reminder center in the Netherlands. From this place, more than 100,000 Dutch Jews, Sinti and Roma were taken to Nazi navigation camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau and Sobibor. Westerbork thus occupies a central place for knowledge transfer about the Second World War and the Holocaust.
The current facilities of Westerbork are no longer sufficient to be able to tell this story to the increasing number of visitors and students. The renovation of the camp site and the construction of a new museum make it possible for more Dutch people to come into contact with this important part of our history.
Strengthening WWII sector
The story of the Second World War and the Holocaust and the lessons we can learn from it are more topical than ever. That is why the cabinet makes structurally extra money available for the reinforcement for the overall World War II sector rising to an amount of € 6.5 million in 2029. With that, the government wants to further strengthen and expand the infrastructure throughout the Netherlands, so that everyone in the Netherlands comes in a low -threshold and qualitative way with the story of the Second World War and the Holocaust. To achieve this, organizations such as the National Committee 4 and 5 May, the National Remembrance Centers (National Remembrance Center Camp Westerbork, National Monument Camp Vught, National Monument Camp Amersfoort, Oranjehotel and Indian Remembrance Center) and the Grote War Musea are reinforced. The House of Representatives will be informed about the elaboration of the further plans in the short term.