Westerbork Transit Camp

Monument Former WWII transit camp, Holocaust memorial site

On the heathland of Drenthe, Westerbork Transit Camp is a memorial site and museum documenting deportations during World War II. Visitors come for guided exhibitions, research archives and remembrance ceremonies.

Main image

Westerbork Transit Camp was a camp in the province of Drenthe in the Netherlands that became a German-controlled transit camp during the Second World War. It was used from 1942 onward to assemble and deport Jewish and Roma people from the Netherlands to extermination and concentration camps in occupied Europe.

Today the former camp site includes a memorial and museum that preserve parts of the railway platform and camp layout and provide historical interpretation of the deportations and the camp’s earlier uses. The site is visited for its historical significance and for the museum’s exhibitions and guided information.

The camp was established before the war and was repurposed under German occupation; it was evacuated and closed late in the war as Allied forces advanced. The memorial site stands in the Drenthe countryside near the original rail line that linked the camp to the wider Dutch network.

  • Museum and memorial: A memorial and museum at the site interpret the camp's history with a preserved railway platform, replica watchtower and exhibitions.
  • Role during World War II: Approximately the first half of the 20th century saw major wartime use; the camp's role shifted from a refugee reception site to a Nazi transit and deportation camp during World War II.
Westerbork Transit Camp
52.9167, 6.6069

How to Get to Westerbork Transit Camp #

Westerbork is located near Hooghalen in Drenthe. From Assen or Groningen, regional buses or a short taxi ride reach the memorial centre. The site is reachable by car via the N374 and minor local roads; parking is available at the visitor centre.

Tips for Visiting Westerbork Transit Camp #

  • Visit the Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork museum for context; the site is both a memorial and a place of learning.
  • Audio guides and memorial trails are available in multiple languages and give the best historical layout of the camp and transports.
  • Combine a visit with the nearby Drenthe landscape - the flat fields help explain why a transit camp was sited on such open ground.

Best Time to Visit Westerbork Transit Camp #

Visit outside high summer for a quieter, more reflective experience; guided tours provide the most coherent narrative of the site.

Spring
April-June · 5-18°C (41-64°F)
Milder weather and fewer crowds; the memorial gardens are beginning to green.
Autumn
September-October · 8-15°C (46-59°F)
Quieter, reflective atmosphere; light is low and suited to contemplative visits.

Weather & Climate near Westerbork Transit Camp #

Climate

Westerbork Transit Camp's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -1°C to 22°C. Moderate rainfall (834 mm/year), distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.

Air Quality: AQI 35 Good
Best Time to Visit
AugustMayJune
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
35°
Warmest Month
-17°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions

January

January is the coolest month with highs of 4°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (75 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

40 Poor

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
-1°
93%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

75 mm
Rainfall
4.6 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.0
UV Index
Low
8.1h daylight

February

February is cold with highs of 5°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (52 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

46 Poor

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
-1°
90%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

52 mm
Rainfall
4.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.1
UV Index
Low
9.7h daylight

March

March is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 1°C. Moderate rainfall (68 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

46 Poor

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
85%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

68 mm
Rainfall
4.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.4
UV Index
Low
11.7h daylight

April

April is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (51 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

60 Good

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
12°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

51 mm
Rainfall
3.9 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.8
UV Index
Moderate
13.8h daylight

May

May is cool with highs of 17°C and lows of 7°C. Moderate rainfall (60 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

64 Good

Comfort

12°
Feels Like Cool
12°C
Temperature
17°
78%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

60 mm
Rainfall
3.7 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.2
UV Index
High
15.5h daylight

June

June is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (73 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

64 Good

Comfort

15°
Feels Like Cool
15°C
Temperature
20°
77%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

73 mm
Rainfall
3.5 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.4
UV Index
High
16.5h daylight

July

July is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (77 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

64 Good

Comfort

16°
Feels Like Cool
16°C
Temperature
11° 21°
78%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

77 mm
Rainfall
3.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.3
UV Index
High
16.0h daylight

August

August is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (60 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

74 Very Good

Comfort

17°
Feels Like Cool
17°C
Temperature
11° 22°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

60 mm
Rainfall
3.1 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.1
UV Index
High
14.5h daylight

September

September is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (75 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

62 Good

Comfort

14°
Feels Like Cool
14°C
Temperature
18°
82%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

75 mm
Rainfall
3.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.7
UV Index
Moderate
12.5h daylight

October

October is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 6°C. Moderate rainfall (77 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

52 Acceptable

Comfort

10°
Feels Like Cold
10°C
Temperature
14°
87%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

77 mm
Rainfall
3.7 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.3
UV Index
Low
10.4h daylight

November

November is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 3°C. The wettest month with 83 mm of rain and mostly overcast skies.

44 Poor

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
92%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

83 mm
Rainfall
3.9 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.1
UV Index
Low
8.6h daylight

December

December is cold with highs of 5°C and lows of 1°C. The wettest month with 83 mm of rain and mostly overcast skies.

42 Poor

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
94%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

83 mm
Rainfall
4.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.0
UV Index
Low
7.5h daylight

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