BWA. Those initials once marked a stark black uniform. They stood for Burgerweeshuis Amsterdam. We are standing before a place with a remarkable history. The Burgerweeshuis. It was once Amsterdam’s city orphanage. For centuries this building sheltered children. It was their world without parents.
Let’s step back in time to the 16th century. Wealthy citizens founded Amsterdam’s first orphanage around 1520. This was not exactly the Burgerweeshuis. That first building stood between Rokin and Kalverstraat. It was across from the Sint Luciënklooster. Only orphans of Amsterdam Poorters were admitted. These were citizens with special rights. Poor orphans were excluded.
In 1580 the Burgerweeshuis took over the Sint Luciënklooster premises. These were located between Kalverstraat, Begijnhof, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and Sint Luciënsteeg. Joost Jansz Bilhamer designed an ornate entrance on Kalverstraat. You can still see it today.
Plague outbreaks increased the number of children. In 1602, 1617, and 1622-1628, the number of orphans soared. The Burgerweeshuis housed about 900 children then. A major rebuilding happened in 1634. The medieval cloisters were demolished. Three classical-style buildings replaced them. Jacob van Campen likely designed them. The courtyard became known as the girls’ courtyard. Only one old building survived until 1744. It bordered the Begijnensloot.
Burgerweeshuis inmates went to school. Boys learned woodworking. Girls learned handicrafts. The children wore distinctive uniforms. The left side was bright red. The right side was black. These were likely the Amsterdam coat of arms colors. Louis Napoleon ordered a temporary change in 1808. The uniform became all black. The initials BWA were added to the left shoulder. The original colors returned in 1816. The uniform was finally abolished in 1919.
A former inmate became a national hero in 1831. Jan Carel Josephus van Speijk blew himself up with his ship during the Belgian uprising. He did this to avoid capture by the Belgians. A national lottery funded a monument. A memorial stone was unveiled in the boys’ courtyard. Orphan boys sang to honor their brother. The long funeral procession halted on Kalverstraat in front of the Burgerweeshuis. A naval frigate was later named after Van Speijk.
Admissions to the Burgerweeshuis declined in the 20th century. Prosperity and better medical care increased. Parents lived longer. The orphanage began housing children whose parents were temporarily unable to care for them.
The Burgerweeshuis moved in 1960. It relocated to new premises on the IJsbaanpad. Aldo van Eyck designed the futuristic building. It was constructed from over 300 small modules. The institution finally closed in 1991. It was converted for academic and office use. The building was renovated in 2015. It now houses offices and an art collection. It has been designated a national monument.
In 1962 the old Kalverstraat buildings were sold. In 1975 the Amsterdam Historical Museum opened its doors here. It is now called the Amsterdam Museum. The dining room and dormitories became a library and exhibition space.
Today, the Burgerweeshuis entrance still stands. It is a reminder of the building’s long history. A history filled with the lives of thousands of children. Their stories echo within these walls.