Along Amsteldijk’s western edge the old town hall of Nieuwer-Amstel stands proudly. This isn’t just any building. It’s a silent witness to centuries of Amsterdam’s history. Before 1896 this area belonged to the municipality of Nieuwer-Amstel. The town hall remained after Amsterdam annexed the area. It served as Amsterdam’s city archives from 1914 for many years.
Amsteldijk has seen its share of human stories both grand and tragic. Consider I I Griffeljoen a local butter merchant. In 1892 a newspaper revealed his supposedly kosher butter was actually margarine. This scandal rocked the community. Or think of Jz van Raalte. He lived at number 7. In 1895 he was the chief agent in the Netherlands for Der Anker. This was a life insurance company from Vienna.
But Amsteldijk holds darker secrets too. Number 12hs housed a pension run by Cornelis and Maria Pouw. They were members of a Nazi splinter group. Their pension became a trap for Jewish people in hiding. At least 19 were betrayed. Pouw received a life sentence after the war.
The Amsteldijk also witnessed birth and survival. Gretha Hanna Salomons was born at number 14-1 on November 3 1922. Her parents and brother were deported to Sobibor. Gretha miraculously survived. Her mother Sara was a well-known poet. She published children’s poems under the initials S S-S.
Further down Amsteldijk at number 18 stood a nursing home run by the Dresden-Van Straten family. Tragically the family including their two children were deported to Auschwitz. They never returned. Number 18-1 sheltered Herman Ohringer. His family hid there. Magdalena and Henricus Vierveijzer bravely concealed five other people.
Amsteldijk’s history is interwoven with the lives of countless others. A tailor a doctor a baker a photographer all had shops or homes here. Their stories blend with those who sought refuge here. The Amsteldijkschool stood at number 66. The former city archives at number 67 became a beacon of hope for Jews during the war. People secretly researched non-Jewish ancestors to escape persecution. This secret room was nicknamed ‘The Observatory’.
The Amsteldijk’s stories are etched into its very stones. It’s a testament to resilience hope and the enduring spirit of Amsterdam. Remember those who lived here. Their lives shaped this place. Their stories resonate on this very street. Remember their struggles. Remember their hopes. Remember the Amsteldijk.