“Amsterdam and the rest of the world” sounds like quite the collection. It’s also the title of a book about Wubbo de Jong, the namesake of this bridge. The Wubbo de Jongbrug. But who was Wubbo de Jong?
Wubbo de Jong was a prominent Dutch photojournalist. He was born in 1946 and passed away in 2002. For thirty years, he worked as a photographer for Het Parool. Many consider him one of the Netherlands’ most important post-war photojournalists.
De Jong began his career in 1965 at the daily newspaper Trouw. From 1974 until his death, he was with Het Parool. He covered more than just local news and squatter actions. In 1981, de Jong photographed Poland under martial law. Later, he documented the revolution in Eastern European states. He also worked for UNICEF in Ethiopia and Tanzania in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he photographed in Sudan, Rwanda, and Zambia.
De Jong’s impactful work earned him recognition. He won the Silver Camera award in 1990. In 1991, he was named Photojournalist of the Year. His book “Amsterdam and the rest of the world” was published posthumously in September 2002.
This bridge, the Wubbo de Jongbrug, is bridge 2019. It spans the Polygoongracht in the Diemerparklaan. You might even spot some graffiti art here. In 2015, Donovan Spaanstra created a graffiti portrait of de Jong. It’s a fitting tribute to a man who captured so many images of Amsterdam and beyond. As you cross the Wubbo de Jongbrug, remember the man behind the lens. Think of his dedication to documenting the world.