Amsterdam Mayor Apologizes for Holocaust Role
On the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end, Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema issued a formal apology for the city’s complicity in the Holocaust, acknowledging that the government failed its Jewish residents. The speech, delivered at a Holocaust commemoration site, highlighted the collaboration between local officials and Nazis, resulting in the deportation and murder of over 60,000 Jews. In a commitment to promote Jewish life, the city will invest €25 million, reflecting a broader reckoning in the Netherlands regarding its historical injustices.