Verzetsmuseum (Dutch Resistance Museum)

From Groningen we took the train (three trains, actually) to Amsterdam. Justin, of course, adored the train. Katie did well on the trip down, but I was not impressed with the lack of baby facilities. When we got to Amsterdam we checked into our hotel--a neat old 17th century canal house in a prime location.

The next day Eric took the girls on an early morning walk which Rebecca later said was a highlight of her trip. Then we all walked to the Dutch Resistance Museum. I had read good reviews of the children's section for Rebecca, and I knew Justin would like the whole thing due to his recent World War II kick. (He's read nearly the entire selection of adult non-fiction in out local library, totalling thousands of pages, over the past few months. Quite an impressive feat, and a testament to the truth of the claim that children will teach themselves when given the freedom to satiate their innate curiosity.)

Anyway, I digress.  The museum was great. The main section was filled with information and exhibits about all the ways in which Dutch people responded to the Nazi occupation, very little of which was actually resistance. The children's room might be one of the best children's exhibits I've ever seen. It was set up as a mini town with different houses. Each house told the story of an actual Dutch child--a Jewish girl (who knew Anne Frank), a Nazi youth girl, a boy from a "neutral" family, and a boy whose father was in the Resistance.

Both kids found the Nazi story most interesting because, as Justin explained, "it's the perspective you don't hear about as much." They both found it fascinating to learn how an average person could be lured in by such hateful ideology.

The icing on the cake was the end. After touring the town you exited through another room where interviews with the kids as adults played on videos around the room. Really powerful.

From there the kids and I rested a bit while Eric went to Spinoza's synagogue. I would have loved to join, but the kids needed a break before we headed to the Anne Frank house in the afternoon. That was another incredible experience...to actually walk behind the bookcase through the hidden door and up the stairs into the Annexe! I read a biography of Anne and most of her diary with the kids before we went, and that really made it more meaningful. No pictures allowed, so you'll have to go for yourselves :)

This whole first day was really wonderful, in a fascinatingly sobering way. In addition to the Anne Frank books, I had also read The Winged Watchman, a historical fiction of World War II in Holland to the kids, and I think that preparation really helped enhance our experience. (Also, just plain good books!)