Holocaust School History Trips to The Netherlands | Educational Trips from Rayburn Tours

Anne Frank House

Anne Frank wrote her diary for a number of years, including those spent in hiding in Amsterdam. Anne’s diary reflects the day-to-day life of a young Jewish girl living in Amsterdam, so providing KS3 (S1/2) students with one way of studying the effects of the Holocaust. Visiting the Anne Frank House museum and viewing the documents and objects which are preserved and displayed within the ‘Secret Annex’ allows students to understand and reflect on the story of a family who, ultimately, were sent to the Nazi camps after being denounced by a Dutch informer.

Corrie ten Boom – The Hiding Place

Corrie ten Boom and her family lived in the Dutch city of Haarlem. They chose to help a number of Jewish people, so putting themselves at risk. The choices made by Corrie ten Boom allow students to reflect on the complex role of rescuers during the Holocaust.

Jewish Historical Museum

To begin to understand the events of the Holocaust students need to reflect on who the Jewish people of Europe were before the events. A visit to the Jewish Historical Museum allows students to reflect on the valuable role played by individual Dutch Jewish people and the vibrant Jewish community living in the Netherlands prior to its destruction during the Holocaust.

Memory Centre Camp Westerbork

From 1942 to 1944, Westerbork served as a Nazi transit camp for Dutch Jews before they were deported to extermination camps in German-occupied Poland. A visit to a transit camp can provide a link between the persecution at 'home' and the desperate fight for life in the concentration and extermination camps, helping students understand the chronology of the Holocaust.

Camp Vught

Camp Vught was the only official SS-concentration camp in occupied North-West Europe, acting as a transit camp with majority of prisoners swiftly relocated to Westerbork before being transported to a death camp in Poland. The camp was renovated back in 2002 when a prisoner's barrack, three watch towers and the cell where the bunker tragedy took place were all reconstructed. An educational tour of the site can be organised and teaching material is also available.

All our Holocaust Tours are accompanied, free of charge, by our iWitness Study Resources.

As one of the more difficult areas of the curriculum to teach, iWitness encourages students to see the person behind the statistic, to study how key events affected them, their family, and their community as they reflect on the devastating effects of political decisions.

Our Holocaust iWitness includes:

• Teacher Resources
• Student Fieldbook
• Images of life
• Google Earth files

Visit our dedicated iWitness pages to find out more!

All of our tours are bespoke, therefore the itinerary below is simply an example; the duration, educational visits, leisure excursions and accommodation centre used will be selected to match the requirements of your group. Please contact us to discuss your bespoke itinerary.

Day 1

Arrive in Amsterdam in the evening, enjoying some free time to explore your new surroundings.

Day 2

Spend the morning visiting the Anne Frank House and Corrie ten Boom House. After lunch, make your way to the Dutch Resistance Museum and in the evening, enjoy some time at a local bowling alley.

Day 3

Today, choose from a full day excursion to Memory Centre Camp Westerbork or spend the morning at Camp Vught and the afternoon in Amsterdam with a visit to the Jewish Historical Museum.

Day 4

Take a morning visit to the Portuguese Synagogue before enjoying your last lunch and departing for home.

Hotel De Ossewa

The owners, Arnold and Gerda Geerlings, go out of their way to give our groups a big welcome in this hotel, located just 15 minutes’ walk from the beach. All bedrooms have private bathroom facilities and there is a large dining room which can be adapted for evening activities such as a disco or games night.