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Second World War memorial unveiled

30 September 2026

The UvA has placed a new memorial in the inner courtyard of the Oudemanhuispoort. This monument bears the names of 254 students and 28 staff members of the University of Amsterdam who died during the Second World War. Most of them were murdered because they were Jewish, active in the resistance, or both. Others died from bombings, suicide, illness or exhaustion. The University of Amsterdam commemorates them with this monument, together with all those whose names remain unknown. The unveiling took place on 30 September 2026.
The memorial, which lists the names of the victims known to the UvA, was commissioned by the UvA and designed by Thonik.

Unveiling

During a ceremony on 30 September, Vinod Subramaniam, president of the UvA Executive Board, expressed his gratitude to all those who had campaigned for many years for a new memorial. He also reflected on the redress granted to staff who were dismissed during the war on the orders of the German occupying forces.

A group of students, researchers and alumni took the initiative for the new war memorial. Duifje van de Woestijne, Master’s student in Jewish Studies and staff member at the Allard Pierson, spoke about how this student- and staff-led initiative came about.

Frank van Vree, emeritus professor of War, Conflict and Memory Studies, then gave a speech placing the memorial in a broader perspective, discussing the history of remembrance since 1945 and the rise of name memorials such as this one.

Redress for dismissed staff

Alongside the unveiling of the new memorial, the UvA is granting redress to staff members who were dismissed during the Second World War on the orders of the German occupying forces. The dismissals during this period were carried out by the Board of the Mayor and the Aldermen of the Municipality of Amsterdam, as the University of Amsterdam was part of the municipal organisation at that time. 

Following historical research by the Documentary Information Services (DIV) department, the Executive Board of the UvA decided on 15 September 2026 to formally revoke all of the relevant dismissals. This concerns staff who were dismissed because they were Jewish, as well as staff who lost their jobs as punishment for resistance activities. For professors, lecturers, and private lecturers, the UvA will also amend the dismissal details in the Album Academicum, adding a note that redress has been granted. 

Find out more about the UvA during the Second World War

If you would like to learn more about the University of Amsterdam during the Second World War, please visit the more detailed page at uva.nl/warmemorial.

Read the full speech by Vinod Subramaniam (in Dutch).

Read the full speech by Frank van Vree (in Dutch).

Visit the memorial

The inner courtyard of the UvA’s Oudemanhuispoort is open to the public. You will find the memorial directly on your right.