Four other memorial centers in financial need are also asking for more support

In addition to Camp Westerbork, the four other World War II memorials are also seeking additional financial support from the government. They are not currently receiving enough money from the government to make further development, the four directors write in a letter to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports.

The signatories are the directors of the former camps in Amersfoort and Vught, the Oranjehotel National Memorial and the Indian Memorial Center in The Hague. Along with Camp Westerbork, these are the five national memorial sites.

According to the four directors, the subsidy that VWS has provided since 1998 is no longer sufficient. In addition, financial support will soon be less because the government is leaving cutting subsidies for the cultural sector.

According to the management, the money the memorial centers receive from the government mainly covers conservation and management, writes RTV Utrecht. And although the centers have seen an increase in their number of visitors in the last few years. Together, around 120,000 people visited the four centers in 2022. A year later this had increased to nearly 150,000 visitors.

The leaders also describe the growing demand for education about the war, polarization and anti-Semitism. “We are not ready for strong growth and expansion of activities,” said Jeroen van der Eijnde, director of Kamp Vught. Omroep Brabant. “We are now unable to realize the great potential of the place. This is despite the efforts of more than 140 volunteers.”

The four centers are sounding the alarm, following in the footsteps of Camp Westerbork. Director Bertien Minco offered last week a petition in The Hague with a request for additional support from the government.

The camp is in financial trouble and needs urgent help:

Last week, MP Wieke Paulusma from D66 proposed introducing a change in the budget to help the Drenthe memorial center out of its first financial need.

This would include a grant of 200,000 euros for the next year. “A good first step,” Paulusma said last week. A majority of the House has agreed to support the budget amendment. The proposal is expected to be voted on within a few weeks.