Jewish Labor Camp Gijsselte

The monument Kamp Gijsselte was erected in memory of about 200 Jewish forced laborers who were housed in this labor camp from the beginning of 1942 until October 2 of that year.

Camp Gijsselte was built in 1938 as a job creation camp for the unemployed in Amsterdam. They were appointed for reclamation work. During the years of occupation, Kamp Gijsselte came under German rule and the Amsterdam workers had to make way for more than 200 Jewish forced laborers who were instructed to clear the heathland and build paths. The work was carried out under the supervision of the Heidemij. At the age of twelve, Roelof Wever from Ruinen witnessed the conditions in which the Jewish forced laborers found themselves. Together with his father and brother, he went door-to-door with the villagers to collect food for the forced labourers.
It was only little bits, a few boiled potatoes, half a loaf of bread. We unobtrusively put it down in a wheelbarrow or at an agreed place in the woods. The Germans couldn't get wind of it. If ever I saw hunger sweeten raw beans, it was then. I knew bringing food was not without risk. What we did was dangerous, but we didn't think about it."

The plaque reads:

In memory of the Jewish Labor Camp
that was located here.

From early 1942 - during World War II -
became Jewish compatriots in labor camps
housed for forced labour.
In the night of 2 to 3 October 1942 they were
all to Camp Westerbork and from there to
deported to the extermination camps.
Few returned.

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