Camp Vught

The Camp Vught National Memorial, situated in the Netherlands, bears the memory of ‘Konzentrationslager Herzogenbusch’, the only SS concentration camp established outside Nazi Germany and the territories it annexed during World War II.

Construction of the camp started in the summer of 1942, financed by assets seized from Jews across the Netherlands. The camp’s purpose was not disclosed until later, when in the winter of 1943, numerous prisoners arrived at the site stripped of their belongings.

Living conditions in the camp were harsh, and prisoners were required to contribute to the German war effort. Notably, a segment of the camp, the Philips-Kommando, put prisoners to work assembling radios and dynamo torches. This was a sought-after workplace due to better food provisions.

While some inmates managed to return home or escape, a large number, particularly Jewish prisoners, faced horrific fates. A tragic event in the camp’s history occurred in June 1943, when around 1,300 Jewish children, along with their parents, were deported to the Sobibor extermination camp in Poland, where they were killed.

Over time, life in Camp Vught became even harder. Many prisoners were executed without trial, and thousands were deported to other camps in Germany, where they lost their lives.

After the war, the camp served various purposes. Initially, it became an internment facility for those suspected of collaborating with the Nazis. Later, it became a residence for Moluccan KNIL military personnel.

Today, Camp Vught National Memorial commemorates the diverse stories of the people who lived, suffered, and died there, both during and after the war. The exhibit “If walls could talk” allows visitors to delve into these narratives, standing as a stark reminder of a bleak past and the resilience of the human spirit.