Westerbork

The camp was built as a refugee camp by the Dutch government, and taken over by the Nazis in 1942. It was used as a transit camp, bringing large number of Jews, Roma and Dutch resistance members together for deportation to the infamous concentration camps. 107,000 people (among them Anne Frank) were deported from Westerbork on 93 trains between 1942 and 1945. Only 5000 returned. After the war, the camp was used to hold Dutch Nazis who were awaiting trial, then as a military camp, and after that as a housing initiative for demobilised members of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and their families. After the last families left in 1971, all of the camp buildings were removed. A commander's house is about the only original camp building that remains. To allow proper remembrance of this dramatic yet historic place, a museum was opened in 1983. Several partial reconstructions give a rough idea of the camp layout and monuments represent the magnitude of events that took place here.

The town church was built in the early 15th century as a Catholic church, although the lower parts of its tower are much older (13th century). It was transferred to the Protestant community around the year 1600. Several paintings inside the church were made by local artist Reinhart Dozy (who lived in nearby Elp).

This small but fun museum is only open on weekdays in the Summer and during Spring and Autumn holidays in the Netherlands (check the website as those last holidays change dates every year). It's quite a remarkable place and also nice for children, as visitors get the chance to make some paper cutting arts themselves. On display are, obviously, wonderful and sometimes seemingly impossible papercutting designs. Some are from centuries ago while others are more recent.