JEWS IN AMSTERDAM

In the 17th century the first jews from Southern Europe arrived in Amsterdam. They were allowed to establish themselves in the area near Jodenbreestraat where the Rembrandthuis is. These jews built already in the 17th century the big synagogue at the Mr. Vissersplein. Rembrandt lived for a long time in this neighbourhood. Below is the big Synagogue.

 

 

Some of these jews were professionally quiet succesfull. The Hebrew lettres on a canalhouse at one of the big canals appear as a witness of it. One of the jewish traders, Pinto even became a member of the city municipality. The house below was his house.

 

 

During the 18th and 19th century a lot jews from Eastern Europe, the so called Asjkenaziem settled in Amsterdam. The numbers of jewish people grew sharply. Before the second world war 85% of the jews in Amsterdam was of Eastern European origin. These people spoke jiddish, a language that was based on german. A lot of them were small traders. The still existing flee market at Waterlooplein was a place that had a strongly jewish sphere. A lot of jews also worked in the diamond industry. Amsterdam in those days was alomst even important for diamond trading as Antwerp is nowadays. The crown below has been manufactured in Amsterdam.

 

 

Still at some diamondfactories you can see diamond polishers working. At places like Coster Diamonds and Gassan diamonds they explain you how they work. Below you see a diamondfactory, witch is still in use.

 

 

In the second world war sadly enough a large part (75-85%) of the jewish people in Amsterdam has been killed. The jewish atmosphere has because of that faded a lot.

Anne Frank was a jewish girl that tried to hide herself for the prosecutions in a house at the Prinsengracht. She wrote in her diary about her life in hidance. At the end of the war and after several years hiding they were betrayed, arrested and sent to the concentration camps. She died of exhausting during a transport early 1945. Her former hiding place is transformed to a well-known museum. Another place that remembers of the tragic events during the second world war is the Resistance Museum. This is very impressive too and more quiet than Anne Frankhouse, where often long queues can be seen. Especially in the neighbourhood around the Zoo there are several places which remember of the dreadful things that has happened in Amsterdam during the second world war. Below is a photo of Anne Frank.

 

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