The Dutch House of Representatives has approved the allocation of 15 million euros for the renovation of the Kamp Westerbork Memorial Center. According to director Bertien Minco, this is “a confirmation of the importance of Kamp Westerbork.”
According to the Memorial Center, this investment is a first step. The total amount required for the plans is considerably higher. Ultimately, 50 million euros are needed for all renovations and expansions.
The money comes from the Spring Memorandum of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). Last week, State Secretary Judith Tielen said she was “pleased” with the allocation of 15 million euros. She emphasized that discussions with other potential financiers are progressing hopefully.
The Kamp Westerbork Memorial Center has been experiencing financial problems for some time. The deficits have arisen due to increased costs and declining subsidies, a spokesperson told NU.nl in October. “All costs have risen enormously. At the same time, our subsidies are being cut. It is not that we will collapse tomorrow, but we must intervene now.” Without extra support, the educational function for young people and the reception of school classes would come under pressure.
With the allocated 15 million euros, the first phase of the renewal plans can be started next year. These include not only a renewed museum and camp site, but also a monumental memorial lane on the site where the railway line once lay. The residential history of the camp will also be made more visible. This history ranges from the deportation of 107,000 Jews, Sinti and Roma during the Second World War to the period as a residential center for Moluccan KNIL soldiers and their families after the war.
Director Minco speaks of “a good first step” and emphasizes how important it is that the memory of the Holocaust and the complex history of Kamp Westerbork remain accessible to future generations. “We hope for clarity about further financing soon, so that the entire renewal plan can be realized.”