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.
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.
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.
Weather & Climate near Westerbork Transit Camp #
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.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 4°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (75 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 5°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (52 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 1°C. Moderate rainfall (68 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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April
April is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (51 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 17°C and lows of 7°C. Moderate rainfall (60 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (73 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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July
July is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (77 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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August
August is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (60 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (75 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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October
October is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 6°C. Moderate rainfall (77 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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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.
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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.