Free tour

The Jewish Quarter, WWII & the Anne Frank Story

Duration: 2h and 15min
Languages: English
Guru: Jon
Quality Verified Registered on August 03, 2021

Hi, I’m Jon. I’m fascinated by World War II, Hitler's propoganda of hate and its terrible consequences. Living in Amsterdam I find that stories of the Nazi occupation, resistance and collaboration are the stories most worthy of telling. We all need to be aware of how lies can lead to tragedies such as the Holocaust..

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  • No minimum number of attendees
    No minimum number of attendees is required for the tour
  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
  • Accepts electronic payment
    This tour allows payment by electronic means or credit card

Tour description

Why was Amsterdam the safest place for Jews to live for 350 years until WWII, when it became the country with the highest percentage (75%) of Jews deported to the death camps in Western Europe? The best chance to survive was to go into hiding, just as Anne Frank and her family did in 1942.  

We will use Anne Frank’s story to understand what it was like to live in a country occupied by a Nazi regime for both Jews and non-Jews,

And we will talk about the incredible exploits of the heroes and traitors during the war, both Jewish and Christian. 

  • The Jewish children who were bravely saved from the transit centre nursery.
  • The nurse who led a resistance cell whose existence was never discovered by the Nazis.
  • The paid informants who hunted down Jews in hiding, including the Jewish woman who betrayed seven hundred Jews.
  • The effects of Queen Wilhelmina's anti-semitism on the fates of Dutch Jews


We will also discuss the kinds of lies used to create such virulent anti-Semitism and how lies continue to be used today to foment hate and war.


The tour will take place in the Jewish Quarter, the heart of Jewish culture in Amsterdam.  


Our tour will start at the Spinoza Monument and will visit: 

  • The Jewish Resistance Monument
  • The Jewish Boys Orphanage
  • The Shadow Wall
  • The National Holocaust Names Monument
  • The Dutch Theater (the deportation center in Amsterdam)
  • The Artis Zoo
  • The Auschwitz Monument
  • The Portuguese Synagogue & The Jewish Museum


We will arrive at the Portuguese Synagogue two hours and 15 minutes after the beginning of the tour. The tour will be completely over within two and a half hours.

 
Since we are in Amsterdam, we will try to make even this tour about WWII as gezellig (friendly and convivial) as possible.

PLEASE PERSONALLY CONFIRM WITH ME THAT YOU WILL ATTEND THE TOUR A DAY AHEAD.  You will receive a reminder email 2 days before the tour. Tours in Amsterdam are limited to 15 persons, so an accurate count is necessary.

Downloading the Guruwalk app will make sure you find out if an opening becomes available and ensure that you don't miss any messages. 

Note:  This tour does not go to the Anne Frank House, which is a 25-minute walk from the end of our tour. 

This tour is a terrific accompaniment or substitute for the Anne Frank House (annefrank.org). You can only buy tickets to the Anne Frank House through their website two months ahead of time. Read the link below and follow the directions closely!. Book the terrific introductory program in English if it is available. https://www.annefrank.org/en/museum/tickets/

The Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum are usually sold out for at least a week.  Reserve early for many museums.

If you will visit at least three Dutch museums (including the Anne Frank House and the Portuguese Synagogue), it can be a good idea to buy a Museum Card for 65 euros, good at 450 museums for one year. You can buy a temporary pass at the first museum you visit, use that pass five times, and receive a permanent pass within five days or less.  If ordering tickets for the Anne Frank House or another museum, just mark that you have a Museum Card and don't pay anything online.  Then buy the card at the first museum you visit. https://www.museum.nl/en/museumpass

I look forward to seeing you soon, Jon

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Highlights

What will we visit on this tour?

  • Meeting point:
    Zwanenburgwal 15, 1011 VW Amsterdam, ...
    Zwanenburgwal 15, 1011 VW Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Directions
  • 1
    Outside visit
    Spinoza Monument

    Spinoza, the child of Portuguese-Jewish immigrants born in Amsterdam in 1632, was the most radical of all Enlightenment philosophers and embodies the freedom of thought of Amsterdam in the 1600s.

  • 2
    Outside visit
    The Shadow Wall

    This section of the Nieuwe Keizersgracht commemorates the Jews who lived here in WWII and were killed by the Nazi occupation.

  • 3
    Outside visit
    National Holocaust Names Monument

    This monument for 2021 designed by Daniel Liebeskind commemorates all 102,000 Jews living in the Netherlands during WWII who were killed as well as the approximately 250 Dutch gypsies who were also killed by the Nazis.

  • 4
    Outside visit
    Holocaust Memorial & Dutch Theater (Jewish Cultural Quarter)

    This theatre was first transformed by the Germans into a Jewish theatre in 1940 and then into a Jewish transit camp in July of 1942.

  • 5
    Outside visit
    Artis Zoo

    This was the best place to hide during the Hunger Winter of 1944/45.

  • 6
    Outside visit
    Auschwitzmonument

    This is the Dutch monument to the victims of Auschwitz.

  • 7
    Outside visit
    Portugese Synagoge

    Find out how the Portuguese Synagogue survived WWII.

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

437 ratings
4.9
By category
Professionalism
4.93
Fun
4.7
Expression
4.86
Quality
4.87
Route
4.81
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17
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8
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1 star
1
Einat 31 May 2023
Giv'at Shmuel

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - May 2023
Jon is an expert with knowledge about the topic. He has good humor and a very nice person. He speaks clearly, so people who are not English native speakers can understand him clearly. great exprience, great guide, very important subject. THANK YOU.
Marg... 30 May 2023
Niagara Falls

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - May 2023
Jon. Very knowledgeable and passionate Re Workd War 2
Lori 30 May 2023
Chicago

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - May 2023
Terrific and informational tour.
Ela ... 30 May 2023
Brighton

Verified booking
Travelled alone - May 2023
The walking tour was so good. We got to visit many ‘hidden’ spots which without Jon you would otherwise miss. I learnt so much of the history of Dutch Jews and it was a perfect way to spend my morning before going to Anne Franks House. We also got mini Stroopwafels which I thought was such a wonderful little touch. Would definitely go again or recommend to
Regina 29 May 2023
Rio de Janeiro

Verified booking
Travelled alone - May 2023
The tour was very interesting. I was a little afraid it would be too depressing, but none of that happened. Jon talks about the drama of the Jews during World War II with sensitivity and knowledge, but also manages to be light and cheerful most of the time. It was definitely worth it. I learned a lot.
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Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group reservations.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
There is no minimum number of people required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Electronic or credit card payment is accepted.
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