Bloody Night of Kattenburg

Here on the old Marine grounds in 1911, things were not so cozy. Where there is now a wide green strip at the end of Kattenburgerstraat, soldiers, police and military police were lined up in early July. Their eyes were on the neighborhood around Kleine Kattenburgerstraat, where striking sailors and dockworkers had been resisting the use of foreign workers for weeks. The atmosphere on Kattenburg was grim.

The strike was part of broader international action aimed at better wages and working conditions. In this old working-class neighborhood, with deep roots in the harbor, resistance was fierce. Employers did not back down and brought German and Chinese workers to Amsterdam to take over the strikers' work. In the streets, residents tried to stop these workers willingly, while soldiers were deployed to escort them safely to work.

It was hot that summer, oppressive even. Tensions were building, especially in view of a state visit that would pass close by Kattenburg. The city deployed extra troops, as a precaution and a deterrent. But the presence of the military rather worked as oil on the fire.

On the night of July 5-6, violence erupted. Around midnight, gunshots sounded from Marine Square. What exactly preceded it has never been fully clarified. A riot had broken out in the streets; people were shouting and throwing things, lanterns were smashed. Possibly shots were also fired from houses. The military responded with fire. It became a long, chaotic night.

Soldiers opened fire on the intersection from several sides. They penetrated houses, looking for alleged gunmen. The residents resisted fiercely. Dozens were wounded, including several seriously injured. Façades were riddled with bullets. Photos of badly damaged stores give an impression of the intensity of the violence.

After that night, the city remained tense. Fights also broke out elsewhere in Amsterdam between civilians and soldiers. In the end, the strike hardly yielded anything. Most workers returned to work without any real victory.