The Oxford and Cambridge Society of the Netherlands invites its members and their guests to a workshop:

Tour of the new national monument Oranjehotel in Scheveningen

Sunday, January 14th, 11:00 | Den Haag

On Sunday 14th January 2024 the Oxford and Cambridge Society of the Netherlands warmly invites you to a tour of the new national monument Oranjehotel in Scheveningen, a Nazi transit prison during WW2, featuring accounts of the prison regime, life under Nazi occupation, the resistance and how post war Dutch society dealt with the past. Sophie, one of the educational volunteers for the monument will give us a talk ahead of the visit. 

Museum entrance is free with a museumkaart, otherwise 12,50 euros standard to be paid. In case of 15 or more attendees on the day, tickets will be 10.00 euros. Tickets to be purchased on the day. Please do sign-up early, so we can get an estimate on numbers for the talk.  

Schedule: 

• 11.00 – meet at the museum
• 11.15 – complimentary cup of coffee or tea (provided by the society)
• 11.45 – talk followed by a self-guided audio tour

More about the monument (from the official website):

The Oranjehotel was the name the Dutch attributed to the Scheveningen prison during the Second World War. Here the German occupier detained over 25,000 people for interrogation and prosecution. Those who violated regulations imposed by the nazi’s covered a broad spectrum and came from all corners of the Netherlands. Most were members of the Resistance, but those imprisoned here also included Jews and Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as people detained for economic offences, such as dealing on the black market. Even during the war, the complex was called Oranjehotel as a tribute to the Resistance members imprisoned there.

Those imprisoned in the Oranjehotel included people of great renown, such as the Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje) Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, Rudolph Cleveringa, Titus Brandsma, George Maduro, Pim Boellaard, Henri Pieck, Anton de Kom, Heinz Polzer (Drs. P.) and Corrie ten Boom, as well as countless others. Some were released, while others were deported to other prisons or camps or executed on the nearby plain the Waalsdorpervlakte.

Until 2009 the cell barracks remained in use as a prison and were therefore not accessible to the public. The complex became vacant and even threatened to be demolished. After years of restoration and repairs, the Oranjehotel was opened as a Commemorative Centre by King Willem-Alexander in September 2019. On your visit to the present Oranjehotel National Monument you will hear stories about fear, hope, faith and patriotism and will see the conditions in which prisoners were forced to live. We show how vulnerable freedom is, and which decisions are taken, when injustice, oppression and persecution prevail.

If you would like to read more, see the official homepage.

Access by Bus 22 from Den Haag Centraal station. Disabled parking only at museum.
Address Van Alkemadelaan 1258, 2597 BP Den Haag

LOCATION

Van Alkemadelaan 1258