Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema will offer a formal apology on behalf of the city for its complicity in the persecution of Jews during World War II. This will be the first time Amsterdam formally acknowledges its role.
The apology follows a Niod investigation into the actions of municipal services. The report reveals active collaboration: police assistance in raids, provision of addresses from population registries, and GVB trams transporting Jews to deportation centers.
While the apology is not considered financial reparations, it signifies recognition of the city's role in the Holocaust. Alongside the apology, Amsterdam will establish a €25 million fund to support Jewish life in the city, focusing on cultural and social initiatives.
This fund aims to increase the visibility and understanding of Jewish culture in Amsterdam, with examples including promoting the Yiddish language. A five-member committee will advise on the fund's allocation.
The apology echoes the 2020 national apology from Prime Minister Mark Rutte. However, criticism remains regarding the delay in governmental acknowledgment of this historical wrongdoing.
The city's actions also recall the 2013 allocation of €10 million as collective compensation to the Jewish community following revelations about post-war erfpacht practices. This prior compensation lacked an accompanying apology.
Before the war, Amsterdam had a large Jewish population (80,000-85,000), of which approximately 60,000 perished.