Memorial City Gymnasium

The Memorial in the Gymnasium commemorates the vice principal, Dr. C. de Jong and 17 pupils and former pupils who were killed in World War II.

About the cause of death of Christiaan de Jong:
January 3, 1944: an assassination attempt on Gerardus Willem Diederix. He was an NSB member and director of the Regional Employment Office. He was met by two unknown persons on the corner of Rapenburg and Langebrug. They shoot him in the back and manage to escape. In retaliation for the attack, three famous Leiden residents are executed the next day.

The executed are Christiaan de Jong, deputy headmaster of the Municipal Gymnasium, Hans Flu, a general practitioner in Leiden, and Harmen Douma, head of the first Leidsche Schoolvereniging. These massacres are part of the Aktion Silbertanne (Action Zilverfir).

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Sven Kruizinga
• Photos: Peter Schipper