City Secrets Amsterdam

The Hilton Hotel: ‘Herman Brood’

The tragic story about Herman Brood

1 min readApollolaan 141

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Narrated audio from our Amsterdam tour

The second story remembered with considerably more sadness concerns the life of Herman Brood. Herman Brood was a famous Dutch singer, actor and artist, and basically anything related to creativity. Unfortunately, Brood struggled with a severe addiction to alcohol and drugs. He was often seen as the embodiment of the slogan: 'Sex, drugs and Rock'n roll'. On 11 July 2001, Brood ended his life by jumping from the Hilton Hotel. A note was found on his body with the words: 'I don't feel like it anymore, maybe I'll see you again. Make it a nice party.'

The impact of his tragic death was huge. Fans were devastated and Herman was remembered en masse. His legacy lives on in the hearts of many, recalling both his vibrant creativity and the dark struggles he faced. As a tribute to his life and work, a bench has been placed in front of the Hilton Hotel, a silent witness to his presence and his lasting influence on the world of art and music.

Map showing Apollolaan 141, 1077 AR Amsterdam, Netherlands
Apollolaan 141, 1077 AR Amsterdam, NetherlandsAmsterdam
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Sources. Story: Source story: https://www.amsterdam.nl/stadsarchief/stukken/dood/herman-brood/ Photos: Source photo: Stadsarchief Amsterdam | Door Herman_Brood.png: AVROderivative work: Gobonobo (talk) - Herman_Brood.png, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12221484

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