What is Nationaal Monument Kamp Vught?

Nationaal Monument Kamp Vught was a Nazi concentration camp near the city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Kamp Vught was the only SS concentration camp outside Nazi Germany and opened in 1943. In this historically charged site, the Dutch keep the memory of the camp’s history and victims alive.

Is Nationaal Monument Kamp Vught worth a visit?

Nationaal Monument Kamp Vught is well worth a visit. At Kamp Vught, you will see the horrors that occurred in WWII at first hand. Listen to the stories of former prisoners of the camp by taking the audio tour. On the museum grounds, you will be able to visit the commemorative center, reproduction prison barracks, several guard towers, and the original fencing. All in all, the surroundings make for a starkly detailed reminder of what happened here. An impressive experience.

What attractions and landmarks are near Nationaal Monument Kamp Vught?

Attractions and landmarks near Kamp Vught National Monument include the iconic Sint-Janskathedraal (Saint John’s Cathedral) in Den Bosch. This Gothic church is one of the most impressive structures in Den Bosch. You can even climb the church tower to enjoy the stunning view of the city. The Noordbrabants Museum with works by famous artists like Brueghel, Sluijters and Van Gogh is also in Den Bosch. The Jheronimus Bosch Art Center in Den Bosch features lifelike copies of the works of Jheronimus Bosch. The museum is housed in a fantastic old church, where you can also climb the tower. An entirely different attraction less than a 30-minute drive away is De Efteling in Kaatsheuvel. It is the most famous theme park in the Netherlands with a wide variety of attractions.

Photo: © Davidh820 via Wikimedia Commons

The Camp Vught National Memorial

Camp Vught (Herzogenbusch concentration camp) was a Nazi concentration camp located in Vught near the city of 's-Hertogenbosch.

Experience the history and the current importance of the former SS camp Vught.
Kamp Vught was the only concentration camp controlled by the SS outside Germany in Western Europe.
Today, Kamp Vught stands as a national monument listing the names of the people who died there.

Address:: Lunettenlaan 600
5263NT Vught
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The people held at Kamp Vught included Jews, political prisoners, Sinti and Roma gypsies, and resistance fighters. Prisoners were forced to make products for the German war industry, such as torches and radios. Despite their difficult circumstances, the prisoners managed to resist even in the prison camp by sabotaging the goods they were forced to make.

Bunker drama

Kamp Vught witnesses endless cruelty on the part of the German occupiers. One of the most infamous events is the bunker drama. On 15 January 1944, to punish prisoners for a women’s protest in the camp, the camp commander put 74 women in cell 115, a bunker measuring 9 square meters without ventilation. When the soldiers opened the bunker door the next morning, 10 of the women were dead.

Herzogenbush Concentration Camp

Camp Vught was the only SS concentration camp outside Nazi Germany. The camp was first used in 1943 and held 31,000 prisoners and 749 prisoners died in the camp. Part of the prisoners were moved to other camps shortly before the Allied Forces liberated the camp in 1944.

Museum and Monument

Today you will find a memorial center at the former camp site. There are prisoner barracks, three guard towers and the original fences, as well as a reconstruction of cell 115 where the horrifying bunker drama occurred. The execution site was converted to a national monument in 1947, bearing the names of all 329 male resistance fighters who died here.

The stories of former prisoners

The audio tour (for rent at the reception desk) describes life in the camp in 1943 and 1944. You will hear the stories of former prisoners, as well as a description of twenty special places at Camp Vught. The tour also includes music created in the camp by former prisoners, such as Louise van de Montel and Marius Flothuis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nationaal Monument Kamp Vught is well worth a visit. At Kamp Vught, you will see the horrors that occurred in WWII at first hand. Listen to the stories of former prisoners of the camp by taking the audio tour. On the museum grounds, you will be able to visit the commemorative center, reproduction prison barracks, several guard towers, and the original fencing. All in all, the surroundings make for a starkly detailed reminder of what happened here. An impressive experience.
Attractions and landmarks near Kamp Vught National Monument include the iconic Sint-Janskathedraal (Saint John’s Cathedral) in Den Bosch. This Gothic church is one of the most impressive structures in Den Bosch. You can even climb the church tower to enjoy the stunning view of the city. The Noordbrabants Museum with works by famous artists like Brueghel, Sluijters and Van Gogh is also in Den Bosch. The Jheronimus Bosch Art Center in Den Bosch features lifelike copies of the works of Jheronimus Bosch. The museum is housed in a fantastic old church, where you can also climb the tower. An entirely different attraction less than a 30-minute drive away is De Efteling in Kaatsheuvel. It is the most famous theme park in the Netherlands with a wide variety of attractions.

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