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Amsterdam walking tours

Last spring I took a walking tour in Amsterdam covering the Jewish experience in the city during the Nazi occupation. Ben de Jong, a retired history professor, from Historywalks was our guide. What a sobering tour! He walks you through the vibrant city pointing to houses, parks, and squares where truly horrific things happened during the war. See that park where the kids are playing this morning? That's where the Germans rounded up the first group of Jews to send to the death camps. See that nice B&B where you're staying? That's where a family of collaberators lived. Behold Dam Square where the drunken tourists party at night! This is also where German snipers fired on locals who were celebrating the arrival of the Canadian troops and an end to their nightmare.

I loved this tour, but it's not for everyone. But if you like to walk in the footsteps of history, don't miss it.

Posted by
985 posts

I'm not sure if it was you that posted before about this tour but we are signed up for it based upon that earlier recommendation.

Posted by
2097 posts

We were in Amsterdam in July and took a walking tour of the Jewish section that culminated at the Ann Frank house. I agree, it is a sobering experience.

The part that caught me by surprise and choked me up was Ann Frank's room where her movie magazine pages are still on the wall. So many kind, wonderful, brilliant people were lost. I stood in line with a family from Germany. The dad struck up a conversation. He stated: "We've had our Hitler. I'm afraid you Americans might have yours soon." I'm an Episcopalian. I few days ago a swastika was painted on an Indiana Episcopal church.

Posted by
1443 posts

Nance, that may have been me. I just checked and I already posted a review of that tour. I forgot I had done so.