Route of Commemorative Plaques
1. De Joodse School
(Laurens Costerplein 14)
From 28 October 1941 onwards, municipalities were obliged to set up Jewish primary schools. Because the Germans did not allow Jewish schools to be housed in a building where a non-Jewish school was already located, plans to create the Jewish School in the school building on Johan van Oldenbarneveltlaan had to be abandoned. A new, suitable location was found in the community centre of the Dutch Reformed Congregation, located at Laurens Costerplein 14. The school was started under the leadership of the Jewish headmaster Felix van Spiegel (6/12/1891-22/3/1951) and Jewish teacher Kaatje (Kitty) Cohen (25-11-1891/6-3-1944.)
Former Joodse School
When it began, the Jewish School had 43 pupils. Over the course of the years, the Jewish community in Amersfoort gradually reduced and the school register became shorter and shorter. In 1942, the school had just 21 pupils and, on 1 March 1943, just 6 children attended the Jewish School. On 29 April 1943, mayor Harloff closed the school due to ‘a lack of pupils’.
Although there is no commemorative plaque for the Jewish School, the school and its existence played a major role in the events in Amersfoort during the Second World War.
Source:
Masterscriptie Femke Mooijekind 5929210 – Geschiedenis, Holocaust- en Genocidestudies
(https://adoc.pub/de-scheiding-van-joodse-en-niet-joodse-leerlingen-in-het-ame.html)
