Impje Bes
Impje Bes *1942 My mother, more than 6 months pregnant of my brother, and I, 2.5 years old, lived temporarily by strangers in Amsterdam-West on a cold room on the attic.…
H.J. Mekkelholt
H.J. Mekkelholt (*1921) Two days after the liberation there is a liberation party at the Dam that results in a blood massacre.For Mr. Mekkelholt this day gets eventually a positive…
Hanny Broers
Johanna Alexandrine (Hanny) Boers 1923-1992 Peter Sijmons, the son of Hanny's sister Tonny, told us: the Boers family, 6 children, lived at the Geldersekade, upper left the doors of Glass Company…
Hedda van Gennep
Hedda van Gennep *1929 Hedda van Gennep went together with friends to the Dam, to celebrate, just like many others. She tells us: I was 16 years old and we walked…
Kees and Reggie Stuyfersant
Kees Stuyfersant *1934 and Reggie Stuyfersant *1937 Via their brother Andre we came in contact with Kees Stuyfersant. May 7 1945 is for the family a memorable day. The children Stuyfersant…
Hannie Rem-Bakker
I am from the generation after the war, the baby-boomers. Maybe my story doesn't belong here. I wasn't even born yet. But I'm shaped by it and touched. Every year…
Ron Duisdeiker
I saw the bloody hands of the victims I remember as a little boy, that we were there on the hand of my aunt, on the day in question. We…
Mrs. A. van Mechelen-Toering
On May 7 1945, I (10 years old) went with my mother and sister(13 years old) to the Dam because the nursing staff would sing, according to the information of…
Reverent Rients Dijkstra
Reverent Rients Dijkstra was on May 7 1945 in the NIeuwe Kerk, he published his story in the book "O, dat stuwend Amsterdam". On May…
Mrs. M. van Bentum-Hofker
The Foundation received from Mrs.Mathilda van Bentum-Hofker a detailed report of her memories as a 9 year old young girl over the period 1939-1946. She lived in the Zeeheldenbuurt with…
A.H.W. Harrison
During our research in the Archives for information about victims, the document below was found at the Amsterdam Archive, the Council Office for Funeral Services. Although it is not related…
Piet Boon
As a former Amsterdam citizen of 84 years old, I have nasty memories of the shooting at the Dam on May 7 1945. It is my story, how I experienced it. On…
Willem Gerardus Anderiesen
I am born in 1931 and on May 7 1945, I was 13 years old and lived then in the Bloys van Treslongstraat in Amsterdam-West. On May 7 1945 I…
H. van der Burgt
On May 7 1945 I was 12 years old. I lived at the Hoogstraat, in line of the Dam, across the Zuiderkerk. We knew that there was a lot to…
Aleida Slieker
Aleida Josefine Slieker was injured during the shooting. You can see her on this photo of Margreet van Konijnenburg. The lady in a dark coat, lower right, lying on the…
Nurse van den Brink
Het Parool, May 15 2013. Memories of May 7 1945 The shooting from the Grote Club of May 7 1945. We, two nurses in uniform, ran from the Binnengasthuis to…
Hans Caspers
Hans Capers sent us this report about the incident on May 7 1945. At home nobody spoke about it; the subject was taboo. He is now 75 years old and…
R.F. Philip
As a result of your articles about the shooting at the Dam, the following. I was also at the Dam, as a little boy of 7 years old, when the…
Carla van Leersum
My mother was 24 years old and wrote a letter to her brother Willem. She lived with her parents at the end of the war at the corner of the Dam…
Jopie Kamstra-Schnater
Jopie Kamstra-Schnater was the neighbour girl of Jurrianus Lambertus Stad. She read an article in the Noord Hollands Dagblad, June 13 2013, and by her son Kees she came in contact…
Frans J. van Dam
By the daughter of Frans J.van Dam we came in the possession of some photos that he made round May 7 1945 in Amsterdam. Most likely taken before May 7, secretly,…
William Franciscus Leijns
Amsterdam July 29 1884 - Amsterdam December 15 1966 Leijns found himself during the shooting at his office on the fifth floor of the Office Industria at the corner of the…
G.M.F. Theuwkens
As a boy of 16 years old I was an eyewitness of the shooting at the Dam. Before this tragedy started, there was an incident that is less known. I stood…
K. Schippers
Mentioned below is a part of the speech that K.Schippers held on May 4 2010 in the Nieuwe Kerk The arrival of jazz "May 7 1945, 65 years ago, we…
Joop Straatmeijer
During our research to victim Straatmijer we came in contact via an appeal in the Oud Amsterdammer [local newspaper] with Joop Straatmeijer (extra E). He was also at the Dam…
Mrs. Bense
Mrs. E.J.B.M. Sneeboer-Bense *1904 †1987 Mrs. B.Sneeboer-Bense was told that her husband would come home, he was set to work, and she was looking for him in Amsterdam. At the Dam she witnessed…
Henk Weg
A wink of the eyes. On May 7 it's my goal to cheer the allied forces at the Dam. I'm standing near the Grote Club nearby the man-sized barbed wire, were…
Frits Greefkes
Roswitha Greefkes approached us about a special story of Han Hutjes, also a victim of the Dam shooting: What I know is that this young man saved the life of…
Bep Vink
Bep Vink, born in 1922, was during the war Commander of the Red Cross and joined the air brigade. Recently we received this message from her son Lou Bakker: My mother…
Dinie Hofstra-Beenhakker
My mother was born in Amsterdam and was a ten year old child when the war started. She has told me a lot about the period 1940-1945. She also told me…
Mrs. Gerver-Dessing
Mrs.Toos Gerver-Dessing (*1931) was witness at the Dam and told us about the incident. Our family lived at the Leidsegracht and togheter with two of my brothers we went also to…
Richard Sarlemijn
I'm also a survivor of The Shooting. A long time I wonder, from historical view, what has happened to me. It wasn't obvious a loose case of senseless violence. In…
Carel Blazer
Carel Blazer(1911-1980) started to photograph in the thirties and followed in the same time an education by Hans Finsler in Switzerland. He was co-organizer of the exhibition "Photo'73" in the Stedelijk…
Bert Haanstra
* Holten (Rijssen) May 31 1916 + Hilversum October 23 1997 His name is inseparable connected with the postwar Dutch film history. Photography was for him merely a stepping-stone to a career…
Ruud Gortzak
It is May 7 1945 I am sitting like a scared little bird on the stairs in the Paleisstraat against the side of the Royal Palace. Across the Dam are…
Boy Lodewijk
Hereby my story, possibly I complete it later on, and if you have any questions I will answer them as good as I can. I have never done any research…
J.M.J. Coesel
J.M.J. Coesel was an amateur photographer who happened to take this picture. Many people believe that this shows the cause of the shooting spree on Dam Square. There is also…
The War Illustrated
THE DRAMATIC LIBERATION OF AMSTERDAM By L. MARSLAND GANDER who, as The Daily Telegraph War Correspondent, entered Amsterdam with the first British troops of the 1st Canadian Army on May 7,…
Hamish Taite and May 7th 1945
Two days after the peace negotiations in Wageningen, the first Allied forces reached the capital. In the evening after the tragic shootings around Dam Square and Central Station, the German…
Radio speech Prins Bernhard. May 7 1945
After the signing of the capitulation at Wageningen, Prins Bernhard, Commander of Chief of the Domestic Armed Forces held the following speech for the liberated country: Fellow Countrymen! The hour of…