Gerrit van der Veen and the College

During World War II, this was not a place people wanted to be. The street was then known as Euterpestraat, a name that instilled fear in many Amsterdammers. In fact, later Gerrit van der Veenstraat, in the building of the current secondary school of the same name, was the headquarters of the Sicherheitsdienst. This German Nazi security service was responsible for tracking down thousands of Jewish residents of the city.

After the war, the street underwent a name change in honour of a resistance hero, Gerrit van der Veen. He was not only a sculptor, but also played a crucial role in the Dutch resistance. Van der Veen organised the forgery of illegal identity cards, enabling thousands of people to escape the hands of the German occupiers. His commitment and heroism saved the lives of many, and his name remains linked to courage and resistance.