Memorial St. Ignatius Gymnasium

The Monument on the Sint Ignatius Gymnasium in Amsterdam reminds us that during the Second World War, when the Christian HBS was housed in this school building, a second department of the SS was located here, led by F.H. Aus der Funten.

In 2023, a plaque was placed on the wall of the school detailing the history of the school during the occupation period, and to commemorate the human suffering described on plaque.

The school building of the Christian HBS served as a collection point for Jews during the first years of occupation. After the raids in the Jodenhoek and Amsterdam South, the Jewish detainees were brought to this school building. From here they were taken by tram in Van Beethovenstraat to Central Station for deportation to the Westerbork transit camp in Drenthe. They were then deported to extermination camps. In the summer of 1942, the Hollandsche Schouwburg took over this role. In the school building, only administrative functions and archive tasks were fulfilled.

On November 26, 1944, the school building was heavily damaged at 2:00 PM during an Allied bombing raid. The target was actually the former Municipal Girls High School on Euterpestraat (now Gerrit van der Veenstraat). The Sicherheitsdienst, led by Willi Lages, was located here. However, this school suffered little damage. The bombing killed 54 civilians and destroyed more than 40 houses. Four occupiers were fatally injured.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Philip Hozier (1), Rick Hoogervorst (2)