Fascinating Vintage Photos of Netherlands in the early 1960s

During the postwar years, the Netherlands had to deal with hardships, shortages, and natural disasters. The next step was constructing large-scale public works programs, economic recovery, and Europe’s integration into the Union.

Some 500,000 Dutch people emigrated after the war due to government-sponsored emigration efforts to reduce population density. The 1960s was the era of significant social and cultural change, including rapid de-pillarization characterized by the abolition of old political and religious barriers. Student groups particularly challenged traditional mores, pushing for change on women’s rights, sexuality, disarmament, and the environment.

These beautiful color photos of street life in the Netherlands, taken during the summer of 1961, are from the Huebner family collection.

#1 View of the River Amstel and Rokin Street, Amsterdam, 1961

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#2 The Green Lantern Restaurant, Amsterdam, 1961

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#3 Beach scene, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#4 Camping site, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#5 Cattle at pasture, with windmills, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#6 Dike on the former Zuiderzee, Netherlands, 1961

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#7 Old Town Hall, Gouda, 1961

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#8 Building next door to the Vleeshal, Haarlem, 1961

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#9 Vleeshal (built: 1602-03; architect: Lieven de Key), Haarlem, 1961

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#10 Walter Lamb and the Mercedes 220 on the Grote Markt (Great Market Square), Haarlem, 1961

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#11 Haystacks with roofs, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#12 Haystacks, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#13 Houses, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#14 The Euro-Hotel, Leeuwarden, 1961

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#15 View from the Euro-Hotel, Leeuwarden, 1961

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#16 View of the Mercedes 220 from the Euro-Hotel, Leeuwarden, 1961

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#17 Little girl and ducks, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#18 Motel Maarsbergen, Maarsbergen, 1961

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#19 Hotel Rosier, Maastricht, 1961

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#20 At the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, 1961

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#21 Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, 1961

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#22 Marken Island houses, 1961

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#23 Marken Island street scenes, 1961

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#24 Dutch children at play, Marken Island, 1961

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#25 Dutch pedestrians on the street, Marken Island, 1961

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#26 Houses and yards, Marken Island, 1961

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#27 Houses with poultry and clotheslines, Marken Island, 1961

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#28 Milking station in a field, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#29 Building decoration along the Lijnbaan, Rotterdam, 1961

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#30 Entrance to the Lijnbaan, Rotterdam, 1961

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#31 Entrance to the Lijnbaan, Rotterdam, 1961

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#32 In front of the Hotel Lilly, Rotterdam, 1961

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#33 Modern architecture along the Lijnbaan, Rotterdam, 1961

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#34 Stadhuisplein, Rotterdam, 1961

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#35 The Lijnbaan, Rotterdam, 1961

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#36 The Rijnhotel, Rotterdam, 1961

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#37 Rural house and its thatched-roof barn, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#38 Sheep in a field, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#39 The Mercedes 220 along the freeway, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#40 Hotel “de Vesper”, Weert 1961

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#41 A windmill somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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#42 A windmill somewhere in the Netherlands, 1961

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