home | dutch auschwitz committee | holocaust

The Jewish Council was established in 1941 by order of the German occupation authorities. It was established as the ‘Jewish Council of Amsterdam' but quite soon it became the Jewish authority for the entire country. The Council had departments for helping deportees, for health care, education, and food distribution. Thousands of people were involved in the work of the Jewish Council. As a result, they were temporarily exempt from deportations. The Jewish Council was criticized as an instrument of the persecutors, but at the same time offered temporary hope. On 29 July 1943, the Jewish Council was disbanded.

Work activities of the Council
Temporary Exemption
Razzias

1. The Jewish Council’s cloth-mending shop in the department for helping deportees, 1942
   Photo by Johan de Haas, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
2. One of the many administrative departments of the Jewish Council, 1942.
   Photo by Johan de Haas, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam

1. Razzia at Krügerplein in the Transvaal neighbourhood, Amsterdam, 20 June 1943.
   Ordedienst (camp police) from Westerbork had to assist during the Razzia.
   Unknown photographer, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
2. Jews who were picked up during a razzia being deported, Amsterdam, 20 June 1943 During this razzia a total of 6000 Jews were rounded up and deported to Westerbork.
   The photo was taken by A. Wijnberg from his house, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
3. Officers of the Sicherheitsdienst checking personal Identification cards of Jews, Amsterdam, summer 1942.
   Unknown photographer, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam

quotes
first anti-jewish measures
protests against the persecution of jews
isolating jews
jewish labour camps
jewish star
the jewish council
chronology:
press and propaganda
civil administration
chronology:
riots in amsterdam
registration, looting, and tracking
propaganda and resistance
chronology:
looting
forced labour