Zandvoort 1939-1945

During the Second World War and the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Zandvoort experienced much hardship and devastation. About 3 kilometres of the sea front was levelled to the ground, and in place of hotels and villas

Zandvoort children during the 1939-1945 warthere appeared concrete bunkers looking out to the sea. The beach became a forbidden area, a zone where none could venture for it was barricaded with stakes and covered with mines.

Destruction of Zandvoort watertower in 1943

Click on the photo left to see a group of children unable to understand why they could no longer play on the beach.

Click right to enlarge the photo of the destruction of the original Zandvoort Watertower in 1943.


The villagers were for the most part evacuated and about a third of Zandvoort’s buildings were demolished. Below left we can see the houses destroyed at the end of Burg. Engelbertsstraat and corner of Zeestraat. Click to Enlarge.

Zandvoort scene of destruction of houses
From the remaining houses the plumbing and piping soon disappeared.

The luxury seaside resort character of Zandvoort was totally wiped out during the war. A total of 648 buildings were demolished: 176 workers’ dwellings, 281 homes of the middle classes, 29 manor houses, 75 villas, 36 shops, 14 cafes, 3 bathing establishments, 16 boarding houses, 20 hotels, 35 summerhouses and the water tower.


What remained was also badly damaged. On the beach to this day a partially guarded concrete tank wall, a remainder of the Atlantikwall, still recalls the last war.