Refugee Homes in NL

As far as I know this is the first comprehensive list of all the facilities where refugee children were housed. The list is complete to the best of my knowledge, even over-complete, as I have chosen to include some facilities that were not especially for refugee children. If you have more information about any of these places, please contact me, I would welcome any additions to this overview.

Amerongen, Huize Ons Bliscap (Our Joy)

(postcard, about 1960, photo by J.A. Vrijhof) Address: Bergweg 16, Amerongen View Larger Map The house was owned by the “Centrale Commissie voor het vrijzinnig protestantisme”(Central Commission for Liberal Protestantism) in Utrecht: they wrote a letter to the Ministry of Interior Affairs on…

Amsterdam, Burgerweeshuis

Address: St. Luciensteeg/Kalverstraat 92, Amsterdam View Larger Map The building had been in use as an orphanage since 1580. Before that it was a cloister and old men’s home. In 1960 the Burgerweeshuis moved to another location within Amsterdam. Since 1975 it houses…

Amsterdam, Girls Orphanage Rapenburgerstraat

Picture: Miriam Keesing, February 2011 Address: Rapenburgerstraat 171, Amsterdam View Larger Map The building was in use as an orphanage for Jewish girls since 1861. In 1889 the house next door (number 169) was bought as well, so the orphanage could house 80 girls. In…

Amsterdam, Boys Orphanage "Megadle Jethomim" (Upbringing of Orphans)

Picture from the Nieuw Israelitische Weekblad, April 1, 1938, page 9 (source: http://kranten.kb.nl/) Address: Amstel 21, Amsterdam View Larger Map The building was built in 1865 as an orphanage for Ashkenazi boys, which had been founded in 1738. It had an in-house synagogue, and a…

Amsterdam, Portuguese Boys Orphanage Abbi Jethomim (Father of Orphans)

Photo from joodsamsterdam.nl Address: Plantage Middenlaan 80, Amsterdam View Larger Map The building was used as an orphanage for Sephardic boys starting in February 1930: before that the orphanage was housed in the Jodenbreestraat. It could house 16 boys, but there wasn’t much demand. In…

Amsterdam, Lloyd Hotel

Photo taken by Miriam Keesing, November 2009 Address: Oostelijke Handelskade 34-34A View Larger Map The Lloyd Hotel was built in 1918 by the Lloyd company that shipped people – mainly Jews from Eastern Europe – to South America. This place served as a hotel for…

Amsterdam, Oostelijke Handelskade 12

Photo taken by Miriam Keesing September 2009 Address: Oostelijke Handelskade 12 View Larger Map This was built as an office building for the Lloyd Company (see Lloyd Hotel). When the Lloyd Hotel was closed in August of 1939 the occupants were transferred to this building….

Amsterdam, Plantage Franschelaan 13

Now: Henri Polaklaan 13 View Larger Map Refugees were living here between November 10, 1941 and late 1943. In March 1941 the Nazis closed the “Werkdorp” in the Wieringermeer. A few weeks later, after having lived with families in Amsterdam, some of the boys who…

Amsterdam, Valkenburgerstraat 186

Address: Valkenburgerstraat 186, Amsterdam View Larger Map In 1830 the Matze bakery “De Haan” was established here. After the Nazi occupation some 40 boys – most of them coming from Oostelijke Handelskade 12 – were moved into the floor above the bakery in early…

Amsterdam, Vondelhof

Address: Frederiksstraat 18a, Amsterdam View Larger Map This facility was originally a youth hostel: it could sleep 150. Not long after the arrival of the refugee children plans were made to open up Aliyah homes to educate those children who wanted to go to Palestine….

Amsterdam, Quarantine facility Zeeburgerdijk

Address: Zeeburgerdijk 321, Amsterdam View Larger Map Built in 1918 as a quarantine facility for sick people who wanted to emigrate from Europe to the U.S. It consisted of one villa, one office building and ten wooden barracks. It was one of the first places…

Arnhem, Huize Sonsbeek

photo: Gelders Archief 1500 – 02529 Address: Schelmseweg 5 View Larger Map Opened on December 25, 1938 This was a home for orthodox boys: all the food was kosher. When it was closed in December, 1939 most of the boys were moved to Huize Kraaybeek…

Arnhem, “Jongenshuis”

Address: Amsterdamscheweg 1-3, Arnhem View Larger Map Opened on October 1, 1940. The Nazis took all the children in December 1942 to Westerbork. Despite the name (boys house) there were also some girls here. Pediatrician Siegfried Wolff (born in Gnesen in 1888) served as director…

Bergen (N-H), Koloniehuis “Zeehuis”

Address: Verspeijkweg 5, Bergen aan Zee View Larger Map Opened January 3, 1939: closed March 23, 1939 This was a summer home of the Burgerweeshuis in Amsterdam. It was built in 1908 and is still in use as a holiday home. It could house 90…

Beverwijk/Wijk aan Zee, Emmahuis

Beeldbank Museum Kennemerland object nr 15197 Address: Relweg 59, Beverwijk (Wijk aan Zee) View Larger Map There were probably two homes in use here, the Emmahuis alongside the “Jozeboko home” next door. The first refugee children arrived here on January 10, 1939 and the facility…

Den Dolder, Vakantiehuis C.I. Weeshuis

Picture: courtesy of Historische Vereniging Den Dolder Address: Baarnscheweg 58, den Dolder View Larger Map In 1911 the Orphanage in Utrecht bought the house to be used as a vacation home for its pupils. The first refugee children arrived here on November 22nd, 1938. They…

Den Haag, Huize ten Vijver

Address: Dwarsweg 3, Scheveningen View Larger Map In 1901 Anton Kröller bought “Ma Retraite” as Huis ten Vijver was then called, after he had just bought the neighboring villa “Paulina”. Architect Leo Falkenburg completely redesigned both villas. Villa Paulina was transformed into stables,…

Den Haag, Jewish Orphanage “Ezer Jatom” (Help for Orphans)

De Sumatra Post, April 28, 1932, page 12 Photo by Miriam Keesing, November 2009 Address: Pletterijstraat 66, The Hague View Larger Map This orphanage existed since 1849. In 1932 it moved to the building in the Pletterijstraat. It could accommodate 42 children between five…

Den Haag Loosduinen, Ockenburgh

Address: Monsterseweg 4-6, Den Haag Loosduinen View Larger Map The house was built around 1650. The first 49 refugee children were housed here in January of 1939: most of them had arrived in the Netherlands with the first Kindertransport from Vienna in December, 1938,…

Rijswijk, Huize Cromvliet

Photo taken by Miriam Keesing, November 2010 Address: Beetslaan 251, Rijswijk View Larger Map The house was built around 1560. Like the other two homes in or around The Hague, the first refugee children arrived here in January of 1939 and the last ones…

Rijswijk, Huize Overvoorde

Huize Overvoorde, about 1920 Photo taken by Miriam Keesing, November 2009 Address: van Vredenburchweg 174, Rijswijk View Larger Map The house was built in 1623 but has its present form since 1834 when mayor van Vredenburgch lived there and added a floor to it.In 1931…

Dieren, Johanneshof

Address: Zutphensestraatweg 40, Dieren View Larger Map The building was a children’s home, owned by the Louisa Foundation of Dieren. The group of children arrived here on July 1, 1939. Vera Pick writes to her parents on July 7: We are very well here, and…

Driebergen, Ons Boschhuis

Address: then Arnhemschebovenweg 235, now: Baden Powellaan 7, Driebergen-Rijssenbeek View Larger Map Was owned by the “Bond voor gereformeerde Jeugdorganisaties” (Association for Reformed Youth Organisations) and was available for refugee children between March 18 and June 30, 1939. On April 24, 1939 an acquaintance of…

Driebergen, Huize Kraaybeek

Kraaybeek in 1939 Address: Hoofdstraat 63, Driebergen View Larger Map The house itself was centuries old, but was renovated in 1911. It had 25 rooms. Vereniging “het Zonnenhuis” offered the use of this house in 1938: in early 1939 there were 85 children living…

Eersel, Sint Jacobus Gesticht (Koloniehuis)

Address: De Dijk, Eersel View Larger Map The monastery was built in 1902, the “gezondsheidskolonie” for children in 1926. After being torn down in 1990, the new city hall was built here. The first refugee children arrived here in the spring of 1939. J. van…

Eindhoven, Dommelhuis

Dommelhuis, courtesy of Hajo Meijer Address: Jonckbloetlaan 13 View Larger Map The first refugee children arrived here on January 4, 1939. They were all boys. It had 150 beds available. It was closed in March 1940: all the boys then went to Westersingel in Rotterdam….

Elden – Hachshara Huize Voorburg

Address: Drielschedijk 1, Elden (now Arnhem) View Larger Map After the occupation it was not possible anymore for Alijah students to go to Palestine, and the possibilities of Einzelhachshara were limited because many farmers did not dare to employ a Jewish trainee. That is…

Etten-Leur, IGKR Liesbosch

Address: Moerdijkse Postbaan 18/Steenmansweg, Leur View Larger Map This was one of two vacation homes of the Jewish Orphanage in Rotterdam. It was in use for refugee children between January 1939 and April 1939. The Jewish Community of Rotterdam bought this home in 1924 to…

Franeker, Kibbutz

Harlingerweg 45, Franeker View Larger Map This religious Kibbutz was opened in 1935. The Nazis arrested twenty members in the fall of 1941, on accusation of hoarding food. (37) Morris Schnitzer writes about his time in Franeker: “We were a group of about…

Gorssel, Jeugdherberg “De Kleine Haar”

Photo taken by Miriam Keesing, November 2009 Address: Dortherweg 34, Kring van Dorth (Gorssel) View Larger Map Built as a hunting lodge in the 1920’s, it was used for German refugees between January 1939 and the fall of 1941, but probably only in the…

Gouda Burgerweeshuis

Address: Spieringstraat 1, Gouda View Larger Map There were about 100 children housed here between April 1939 and December 13, 1939. The building was an old orphanage, built in 1642. Now it houses a library. Harry Ebert remembers Gouda vividly and fondly: “In Gouda there…

Gouda, Catharinahoeve

Address: Ridder van Catsweg 61, Gouda View Larger Map This facility was opened in 1937, for (Dutch) Jewish boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 17, to learn market-gardening. After a two year training the students would move on to the Aliyah training…

Haarlem, Quaker School aka Institute Pollatz

Address: Westerhoutpark 14, Haarlem View Larger Map Manfred Pollatz and his wife were living in Dresden. After the Nazi takeover Manfred was arrested and imprisoned. He was allowed to leave the country and went to Haarlem, where he and his wife bought a house on…

Hummelo/Laag-Keppel, Huize Voorburg

View Larger Map This kibbutz was opened after the occupation to replace the kibbutz in Beverwijk, which was closed right after the occupation. The first person moved here in January 1941, slowly more people moved in. In October 1942 all the inhabitants were taken away…

Leiden, Centraal Israelitisch Wees-en Doorgangshuis “Magaseh Le Jethomim” (Refuge for Orphans)

Address: Roodenburgerstraat 1a. Leiden View Larger Map The orphanage was founded in 1889, and was housed at the Roodenburgerstraat since 1929. It could house 58 children. It had a built-in Sukkah, there was hall for gatherings with a piano and a sports hall where…

Losser, K.L. Smit-oord, aka de Zandbergen

Address: Grensweg, Losser View Larger Map The house was owned by the society “Steun in de strijd” (Support in the Fight) in Enschede. The first girls arrived here on January 6, 1939. According to an article in the “Algemeen Handelsblad” the coaches could not reach…

Mijnsheerenland, Hof van Moerkerken

“Hof van Moerkerken” Address: Wilhelminastraat, Mijnsheerenland View Larger Map51°47’46.61” 4°29’37.38” The home was offered to house refugee children in November 1938. The “neutral committee Rotterdam” wrote to the minister of Justice that Mr. H.C. Hintzen, who owned the house but only used it in the…

Monster, ter Heide aan Zee, Israëlitische Gezondheidskolonie

Address: Barendzstraat 24, Ter Heijde (Monster) View Larger Map Opened in 1905, owned by the Jewish Community of Rotterdam. Between 1914 and 1917 in use as a school, because soldiers were housed in the real school. Normally it was in use as a holiday home…

Ommen, Quakerschool, Kasteel Eerde

Address: Kasteellaan 1, Ommen View Larger Map The castle was built in 1715. It came into the possession of Philip van Pallandt, who had connections with the Quakers and offered it to them to establish the first Quaker school in Europe. In 1931 the Dutch…

Rheden, Rivierenhuis de Steeg (Koloniehuis)

Address: Hoofdstraat 10, Rheden View Larger Map The building served as a bathhouse and hotel until it became a “koloniehuis”. The first group of 45 kids arrived here on December 13, 1938. In March 1939 there were 30 boys and 38 girls, most of…

Rotterdam, Achterklooster/Hoogstraat

Address: Hoogstraat 79 View Larger Map The facility was opened in April 1939, and closed in April 1940 because it was not deemed safe enough. The girls went to Huis ten Vijver in Scheveningen, the boys to Westersingel in Rotterdam. The building does not exist…

Rotterdam, Israëlitisch Weeshuis “Megadle Jethomim” (Upbringing of Orphans)

Address: Mathenesserlaan 208, Rotterdam View Larger Map The Rotterdam orphanage was founded in 1833. In 1898 this building was erected for the Jewish orphans of Rotterdam. It could house thirty children, both girls and boys. (53) Like the other Dutch Jewish orphanages, the Rotterdam one…

Rotterdam, Hotel Holland America Lijn

Address: Wilhelminakade 7 View Larger Map This hotel was built by the Holland America line for emigrants traveling to the U.S. They received free accommodation here while awaiting embarkation. It could sleep 400 people, but if desired it could accommodate twice as many people….

Rotterdam, Quarantine Beneden Heijplaat

Address: Quarantaineweg 1, Rotterdam View Larger Map Opened in 1934, it was the most modern quarantine facility in the world. But because penicillin was just invented it was never really used as a quarantine facility. In December 1938 the first refugees were housed here. It…

Rotterdam, Westersingel

Address: Westersingel 60, Rotterdam View Larger Map In April 1940 all the boys from the Achterklooster in Rotterdam moved here, plus many boys who had lived in the Dommelhuis in Eindhoven, which was closed down. Later that year, in September/October, most of the boys moved…

Ruinen (Hoogeveen), Noorderhuis (Koloniehuis)

Address: Toldijk D 155 View Larger Map The first refugee children arrived here in December 1938, and they left in April 1939. In February Irene Lion died, she was probably the first victim of a diphtheria epidemic. Many of the children staying in the Noorderhuis…

Soesterberg, Bondshuis N.P.B.

Address: Amersfoortsestraatweg 91, Soesterberg View Larger Map The facility was built in 1920. Shortly after Kristallnacht the Central Committee for Protestantism in Utrecht offered this facility for refugee children. The first children arrived here on December 24, 1938. It could house about 100 children….

Steenwijk, Fredeshiem

Address: Eiderberg 2, Steenwijk View Larger Map Only Protestant children were placed here. It was in use between March 1939 and late June 1939. Today there is a vacation center here, called “Buitengoed Fredeshiem”. Vera Pick from Vienna was transferred here on March 22, 1939,…

Utrecht, Centraal Israelitisch Weeshuis “Miflat Yatom” (Home for Children)

Address: Nieuwegracht 92, Utrecht View Larger Map The building was used as an orphanage starting in 1871. When it was opened it housed thirty-one boys and fourteen girls, all Dutch Jewish orphans. (66) The first three refugee children from Germany arrived here from the Waisenhaus…

Wieringen, Werkdorp

Nieuwesluizerweg 42, Slootdorp View Larger Map Opened October 1934, closed July 1941 On February 23, 1934, the “Stichting Joodse Arbeid” was established in Amsterdam. It was set up for young German Jews to learn a trade before emigration. The werkdorp was officially opened on October…