The camp of Amersfoort is located along the highway Utrecht - Amersfoort, in the province of Utrecht. Amersfoort was with Vught and Westerbork, one of the three concentration camps operated by the Nazis in Holland.  For the German administration, Amersfoort was a Police Camp (Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Amersfoort  “Police Detention Camp”). Not much information is recorded concerning living conditions in this camp. What is known is that thousands of Dutch and Belgian civilians received harsh and cruel treatment at the hands of the Nazis and hundreds were executed at this camp.  In the early stages of Nazi process against the Jewish people,  camp Amersfoort also was used to imprison and then extradite the Jews of Amersfoort. In 1941, 820 Jews lived in the city of Amersfoort.  The municipality officials primarily resisted anti-Jewish measures, but could not prevent the removal of Jews from Amersfoort's economic and cultural life.  By 22 April 1943 most of the Jewish population in camp Amersfoort was transferred to the concentration camp of Vught.   From there, they were deported to Poland for execution.   After that date the camp took on the identity of a disreputable concentration camp.   Life was extremely harsh and torturous for the inmates. Many escapees were shot by the SS, and so were the many Dutch Jews who joined the others in escape attempts.  However, some managed to escape, and joined Resistance Fighters which were active in every Nazi occupied country.

As a Polizeiliches Durchgangslager, concentration camp Amersfoort became an establishment to imprison and torture prominent Dutch and Belgian citizens.  At the time of liberation only four hundred and fifteen survivors were counted.   Hardly any of the survivors were Jews.