Post-War Amsterdam: Fascinating Photos show Life of Amsterdam in late-1940s

The Netherlands declared neutrality after the war broke out in 1939. German forces invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940, as part of Fall Gelb. The Dutch troops surrendered after Rotterdam’s bombing, in which the entire city was turned into debris. Over 900 people died, and 85,000 more were left homeless.

The Germans attacked Amsterdam after attacking the Rotterdam. German bombers attacked Schiphol Airport and several other areas of the city.

The south of the country was liberated in the second half of 1944. But the North was still under occupation, and it suffered a great famine at the end of 1944, known as ‘Hunger Winter.’ The famine was ended with the liberation by the Allies of the western Netherlands in March 1945.

Here are some historical photos that offer a glimpse into post-war Amsterdam’s everyday life from 1946 to 1949. Photographer Ben van Meerendonk captured these photographs after World War II.

#1 Children on miniature motorcycle with sidecar under the guidance of their father, 1946

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#2 The Vondel bridge is ready but the roads in the Vondelpark are not yet, January 6, 1948

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#3 Ceintuurbaan, Amsterdam. September 24, 1946

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#4 A wild strike at the Gemeentetram and the Stadsreiniging, garbage remains undone. Amsterdam, September 24, 1946

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#5 Amsterdam, summer 1946

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#6 Boy on basalt blocks. The sheeting at the Central Station will be repaired. Amsterdam, April 24, 1946

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#7 Café de Kroon, Rembrandtplein. Amsterdam, 1946

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#8 Children on a (hard granite) slide. Amsterdam, 1946

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#9 Christmas trees sale at the Singel, Amsterdam. December 7, 1946

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#10 Crowds for the movie Monkfish at cinema Cinema Royal, in the support act the singing wanderer Frans van Schaik, Nieuwendijk. Amsterdam, November 26, 1946

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#11 Demonstration of fruit farmers against the government policy ‘The fruit on the voucher brings back black apples … again’, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal,.Amsterdam, September 5, 1946

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#12 Dutch new, Singel. Amsterdam, May 1946

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#13 Fashion store at Jenny Models, Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18-20. Amsterdam, 15 October 1946

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#14 Goudsbloemstraat with peeling farmer and milk cart. Amsterdam, 1946

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#15 Market on the Waterlooplein, woman reads newspaper behind her stall. Amsterdam, September 1946

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#16 Showcase of Sterk’s Rijwielhandel. Amsterdam, December 3, 1946

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#17 The Bethanienstraat. Amsterdam, 1946

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#18 The canals are being dredged, the Bloemgracht near the Prinsengracht. Amsterdam, December 5, 1946

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#19 The De Mirandabad. Amsterdam, July 1946

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#20 The police distribute pamphlets to the youth within the framework of the ‘anti-tram-bunch-action’, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Amsterdam, December 14, 1946.

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#21 At Cineac, ‘Ali Baba and the 40 robbers’, Damrak, December 1947

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#22 Children on the sidewalk with large sheets of advertising stamps, July 9, 1947

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#23 City Theater. Amsterdam, May 8, 1947

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#24 De Wenteltrap (The Spiral Staircase) runs in Nöggerath, Reguliersbreestraat. Amsterdam, September 22, 1947

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#25 Female service at the gas station of garage Tobacco, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Amsterdam, September 22, 1947

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#26 Luilakviering. Amsterdam, May 22, 1947

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#27 Painters on the bridge at the Oudezijds Kolk, children watch. Amsterdam, July 1947

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#28 Street scenes of Amsterdam, June 30, 1947

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#29 Swine suction dredger in action in case of flooding caused by thaw, Westermarkt. Amsterdam, March 11, 1947

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#30 Thaw in Amsterdam, car passes cyclist in the Staalstraat. Amsterdam, March 11, 1947

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#31 Three ice cream carts in a row at the Oosterpark and the Tropenmuseum. Amsterdam, 1947

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#32 Transport of an oil tank on a truck with semi-trailer from H.F. Zentveld, Spaarndammerdijk corner Hemweg. Amsterdam, October 28, 1947

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#33 Two men with a handcart loaded with old paper from the material service of the Hulp voor Onbehuisden, Weesperzijde. Amsterdam, November 18, 1947

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#34 At the shop window of Mayfair, Kalverstraat 34. Amsterdam, July 1948

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#35 Children leave with tram 12 to S.I.V.A. Kinder-Vakantieschool Westeroord at the Hemweg, the corner of Javastraat and Javaplein. Amsterdam, July 19, 1948

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#36 De beste jaren van ons leven (The best years of our lives, 1946) by William Wyler, film of the month, Reguliersbreestraat. Amsterdam, February 9, 1948

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#37 Expedition car from De Waarheid Volksdagblad for the Netherlands at the printing office on the corner of Paleisstraat and Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Amsterdam, November 1948

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#38 Fruitshandel ‘De Concurrent’ from Piet Scholten has orange juice again: ‘Finally, here they are the first Jaffa apples, 16 (cents) per kilo, Piet’. Amsterdam, January 1948

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#39 Member no. 5 of the Dutch Association of Petroleum Dieticians ‘By Unity Strong’ fills an oil can on the street. Amsterdam, January 14, 1948

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#40 Municipal workers of the planting service have been busy sawing branches of a monumental elm, Weteringplantsoen. Amsterdam, January 14, 1948

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#41 On the Keizersgracht the elms are felled by municipal employees and replaced by linden (21 years old) from the Bach district. Amsterdam, February 5, 1948

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#42 Police stop construction at ‘Cloeck & Moedigh’ due to a renovation of the printing plant without permission from B & W, 2e Passeerdersdwarsstraat. Amsterdam, March 31, 1948

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#43 Silver tram with text “‘Be a gentleman in traffic’ and ‘I’m looking forward! .. You too?” in the depot Tollensstraat. Amsterdam, December 9, 1948

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#44 Transport by cart from the depot Lekstraat to ‘t Kabouterhuis on the Amsteldijk. Amsterdam, April 1948

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#45 Bureau member E.A.G. (Ab) Hock employed for 25 years at the Centraal Theater, Amstelstraat 14-18. Amsterdam, September 13, 1949

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#46 Bus of Noord-Holland Express at petrol station with gasoline price increase ‘From now on increased by 3 cents’, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Amsterdam, November 1949

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#47 Departure of the children from Kattenburg to the campsite of farmer Zander in Schoorl on behalf of Stichting Kinderuitzending ‘Eilanden’, August 1, 1949

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#48 Fire at a glassworks in an old warehouse on the Elandsgracht 15. Amsterdam, October 3, 1949

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#49 Little boy riding a mini-road bike under the guidance of his father, Sarphatistraat. Amsterdam, July 13, 1949

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#50 Overview of the first CPN meeting for peace (anti NATO) at the Noordermarkt. Amsterdam, April 2, 1949

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#51 Traffic on the bridge between the Oude and Nieuwe Hoogstraat over the Kloveniersburgwal. Amsterdam, October 13, 1949

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