61-469: Amersfoort ( Dutch pronunciation: [ˈaːmərsfoːrt] ) is a city and municipality in the province of Utrecht , Netherlands . As of 31 January 2023, the municipality had a population of 160,902, making it the second-largest of the province and fifteenth-largest of the country. Amersfoort is also one of the largest Dutch railway junctions with its three stations— Amersfoort Centraal , Schothorst and Vathorst —due to its location on two of
122-546: A UNICEF charity event and other charity purposes in Munich . Instead of the typical pretzel loop, they were made in the similar shape of a peace symbol . In the late 18th century, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America. The immigrants became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch , and in time, many handmade pretzel bakeries populated the central Pennsylvania countryside, and
183-629: A court of first instance ( kantongerecht ). The city is a main location for several international companies: It also has a number of non-governmental organizations and foundations: Cities of the Netherlands There are no formal rules in the Netherlands to distinguish cities from other settlements. Smaller settlements are usually called dorp , comparable with villages in English speaking countries. The Dutch word for city
244-484: A public art statue in the shape of a pretzel sculpted by Warren C. Holzman. The municipal government of the City of Freeport, Illinois , also known as "Pretzel City USA", have also adopted a pretzel logo as their trademark. The pretzel dance move was part of swing dancing in the 1920s. The "pretzel" bikini bathing suit design, a variant of the sling swimsuit , emerged in the early 1990s, produced by Spandex . It
305-678: A common accompaniment to ice cream or would crumble pretzels as a topping. This combination of cold sweet and salty taste was very popular for many years. Eventually, this led to the development of an ice cream cone tasting like a pretzel. More recently Mars, Incorporated manufactures M&M's with a small spherical pretzel covered in milk chocolate and candy coated in all of the standard M&M's colors, called "Pretzel M&M's". Soft pretzels are frequently sold in shopping malls , with notable chains including Auntie Anne's and Wetzel's Pretzels /Pretzel Time. Southeastern Pennsylvania , with its large population of German background, including
366-693: A few strips of dough and crossed them to try and resemble two hands praying, and after he baked it, the pretzel was born. After they were done baking, he handed them out to his students and said "pretiola" (little rewards). Another source locates the invention in a monastery in southern France. In Germany, there are stories that pretzels were the invention of desperate bakers held hostage by local dignitaries. The German name " Brezel " may derive also from Latin bracellus (a medieval term for 'bracelet'), or bracchiola ('little arms'). The pretzel has been in use as an emblem of bakers and formerly their guilds in southern German areas since at least
427-530: A free pretzel to each customer on this day. In Altoona, Pennsylvania , the Benzel's pretzel company calls them "bretzels", both for the alliteration and as a nod to their German heritage. The S-shaped soft pretzel, often served with brown mustard , became very popular in Philadelphia and was established as a part of Philadelphia's cuisine for snacking at school, work, or home, and considered by most to be
488-750: A girl wants to increase his attention, she will give him a decorated egg on Easter. The pretzel custom is reversed on Pretzel Sunday during leap years . This custom also still exists in some areas of the Swabian Alb . On the same occasion in Rhenish Hesse and the Palatinate , people have parades carrying big pretzels mounted on colourful decorated poles. During Lent in Biberach , "Lent pretzels" are popular. These are briefly boiled in water before baking and then sprinkled with salt. Schloss Burg
549-440: A long shelf life. There are numerous accounts regarding the origin of pretzels, as well as the origin of the name; most state that they have Christian backgrounds and were invented by European monks. According to some scholars and various sources, the most popular story is that the pretzel was made in 610 AD by an Italian monk when he decided to make a special treat to help motivate his students to keep on learning. He rolled out
610-442: A main dish, such as Weisswurst sausage. The same dough and baking procedure with lye and salt is used to make other kinds of "lye pastry" ( Laugengebäck ): lye rolls , buns, croissants, and even loaves ( Laugenbrötchen , Laugenstangen , Laugen croissants , Laugenbrot ). Yet, in some parts of Bavaria , especially in lower Bavaria, unglazed "white" pretzels, sprinkled with salt and caraway seeds are still popular. Basically, with
671-443: A popular snack in many countries around the world. A thicker variety of sticks can be 1.5 centimetres ( 1 ⁄ 2 in) thick; in the U. S. these are called Bavarian pretzels or pretzel rods. Unlike the soft pretzels, these were durable when kept in an airtight environment and marketable in a variety of convenience stores. Large-scale production began in the first half of the 1900s, more so during 1930 to 1950. A prime example
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#1732772498533732-559: A quick meal. The average Philadelphian today consumes about twelve times as many pretzels as the national average. Freeport, Illinois , which sits about 100 miles outside of Chicago, is another city known for its rich pretzel history. In 1869, a German immigrant named John Billerbeck established the first Billerbeck Bakery which was known for selling German style pretzels to complement the large number of breweries that existed in Freeport during this time. Prohibition eventually shut down
793-608: A width of 50 centimetres (20 in) and more. Sometimes children visit their godparents to fetch their New Years pretzel. On 1 May, love-struck boys used to paint a pretzel on the doors of the adored. On the other hand, an upside-down pretzel would have been a sign of disgrace. Especially Catholic areas, such as Austria, Bavaria, or some parts of Swabia, the "Palm pretzel" is made for Palm Sunday celebrations. Sizes can range from 30 cm (0.98 ft) up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and they can weigh up to 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). An old tradition on Palm Sunday dating back to 1533
854-525: Is stad (plural: steden ). The intermediate category of town does not exist in Dutch, but provinciestad (small city in the province) comes close. Historically, there existed systems of city rights , granted by the territorial lords, which defined the status of a place: a stad or dorp . Cities were self-governing and had several privileges. In 1851 the granting of city rights and all privileges and special status of cities were abolished. Since then,
915-442: Is a type of baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot . The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical form, with the ends of a long strip of dough intertwined and then twisted back onto itself in a particular way (a pretzel loop or pretzel bow). Today, pretzels come in various shapes, textures, and colors, but the original soft pretzel is still one of the most common pretzel types to date. Salt
976-470: Is celebrated as a breakfast with beer and includes Mass in the Lübeck Cathedral and a presentation of songs by a children's choir. In earlier times, the children were very poor, coming from an orphanage, and each received a Kringel (pretzel) as a reward. Hence, the name "Pretzelfun" was adopted, because this gift was considered a highlight. Today, the children come from schools, but they still get
1037-501: Is renowned for a 200-year-old specialty, the "Burger pretzel". Its texture and flavour resemble rusk or zwieback . A local story says that the recipe came from a grateful Napoleonic soldier in 1795, whose wounds were treated by a baker's family in the little town of Burg . The cultural importance of the pretzel for Burg is expressed by a monument in honour of the pretzel bakers, and by an 18 km hiking trail nearby called "Pretzel Hiking Trail". A variety typical for Upper Franconia
1098-557: Is the "anise pretzel". The town of Weidenberg celebrates the "Pretzel weeks" during the carnival season when anise flavored pretzels are served with special dishes such as cooked meat with horseradish or roast. In the city of Lübeck , the 500-year-old guild of boatmen on the Stecknitz Canal call their annual meetings in January Kringelhöge (Pretzelfun). The elaborate affair, with about 200 participants,
1159-503: Is the most common seasoning, or topping, for pretzels, complementing the washing soda or lye treatment that gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor acquired through the Maillard reaction . Other toppings are mustard , cheeses , sugar , chocolate , cinnamon , sweet glazing , seeds , and nuts . Varieties of pretzels include soft pretzels, which should be eaten shortly after preparation, and hard-baked pretzels, which have
1220-662: Is the outdoor pretzel market ( Brezgenmarkt ) in the Hungerbrunnen Valley near Heldenfingen . In the Rhineland region, sweet pretzels are made with pudding-filled loops (pudding pretzels). On Laetare Sunday in Luxembourg , the fourth Sunday in Lent , there is a festival called "Pretzel Sunday". Boys give their girlfriends pretzels or cakes in pretzel form. The size symbolizes how much he likes her. In return, if
1281-405: Is worth over $ 1.2 billion. The average American consumes about 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) of pretzels per year. The privately run Pretzel Museum opened in Philadelphia in 1993, but is now defunct. In 2003, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared 26 April "National Pretzel Day" to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel to the state's history and economy. Philly Pretzel Factory stores offer
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#17327724985331342-470: The Honkbal Hoofdklasse , the highest level of Dutch baseball. It is the hometown of field and track athlete Femke Bol . The DierenPark Amersfoort zoo was founded in 1948. As of 2020, Amersfoort had a total population of 157,276 people. Bus services are provided by 2 firms: U-OV and Syntus. Syntus provides services in town and the entirety of the province Utrecht, save for the bus to
1403-887: The Middle Ages . Apart from the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwetoren, the Koppelpoort , and the Muurhuizen (Wall-houses), there is also the Sint-Joriskerk (Saint George's church), the canal-system with its bridges, as well as medieval and other old buildings; many are designated as national monuments. In the Middle Ages, Amersfoort was an important centre for the textile industry, and there were a large number of breweries. Jews also lived in Amersfoort in
1464-793: The Pennsylvania Dutch , is considered the birthplace of the American pretzel industry, and many pretzel bakers are still located in the area. Pennsylvania produces 80% of the nation's pretzels. Hard pretzels originated in the United States, where, in 1850, the Sturgis bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania , became the first commercial hard pretzel bakery. Snack food hard pretzels are made in the form of loops, braids, letters, little pretzels, or sticks around 3 millimetres ( 1 ⁄ 8 in) thick and 12 centimetres (5 in) long; they have become
1525-591: The main line of defence , the whole population of then 43,000 was evacuated at the start of the invasion by the Germans in May 1940. After four days of battle, the population was allowed to return. There was a functioning Jewish community in the town, at the beginning of the war numbering about 700 people. Half of them were deported and killed, mainly in Auschwitz and Sobibor . In 1943, the synagogue , dating from 1727,
1586-472: The "pretzel town", and around the second weekend of July, from Friday to Tuesday, it holds an annual funfair and festival called " Brezelfest ", which is the largest beer festival in the Upper Rhine region, and attracts around 300,000 visitors. The festival includes a parade with over 100 bands, floats, and clubs participating from the whole region, and 22,000 pretzels are thrown among the crowds. On
1647-942: The 12th century. A 12th-century illustration of the banquet of Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus in the Hortus deliciarum from the Alsace region (today France) may contain the earliest depiction of a pretzel. Within the Christian Church , pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape. Pretzels made with a simple recipe using only flour and water could be eaten during Lent when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard, or dairy products such as milk and butter (cf. Daniel Fast ). As time passed, pretzels became associated with both Lent and Easter. Pretzels were hidden on Easter morning just as eggs are hidden today, and are particularly associated with Lent , fasting and prayers before Easter . Like
1708-596: The Middle Ages, before being expelled from the province in 1546 and beginning to return to the city in 1655. The nickname for Amersfoort, Keistad (boulder-city), originates in the Amersfoortse Kei , a 9- tonne (19,842 lb ) boulder that was dragged from the Soest moors into the city in 1661 by 400 people because of a bet between two landowners. The people got their reward when the winner bought everyone beer and pretzels . Other nearby towns then nicknamed
1769-750: The Netherlands is known as Brabantstad , a partnership of the Brabant "Big 5": Eindhoven , Tilburg , Breda , 's-Hertogenbosch and Helmond . In addition, there are several medium-sized cities in the Netherlands without an urban network. Groningen , notably, is a medium-sized city (sixth-largest city in the Netherlands), without an urban network. Pretzels A pretzel ( / ˈ p r ɛ t s əl / PRET -səl ; from German : Breze(l) or Bretzel , pronounced [ˈbʁeːtsl̩] or [ˈbʁɛtsl̩] )
1830-496: The Netherlands' main east to west and north to south railway lines. The city was used during the 1928 Summer Olympics as a venue for the modern pentathlon events. Amersfoort marked its 750th anniversary as a city in 2009. Hunter gatherers set up camps in the Amersfoort region in the Mesolithic period. Archaeologists have found traces of these camps, such as the remains of hearths, and sometimes microlithic flint objects, to
1891-431: The U.S., pretzels come in many varieties of flavors and coatings, such as yogurt , chocolate, strawberry, mustard, cinnamon sugar, cheese and others, and chocolate-covered hard pretzels are popular around Christmas time and given as gifts. The variety of shapes and sizes became a contest of imagination in the marketing of the pretzels taste. During the 1900s, people in Philadelphia would use the small slender pretzel stick as
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1952-640: The area of Amersfoort with nearby Soesterberg and Zeist was one of the places in The Netherlands where many refugees from Belgium were sheltered. The "Belgenmonument", located in the vicinity of the former refugee camp Elisabethdorp, commemorates this period and the hardships of the Belgian refugees. Since Amersfoort was the largest garrison town in the Netherlands before the outbreak of the Second World War , with eight barracks, and part of
2013-782: The arms are left thicker so they do not bake to a crisp and contain very little fat. Oversized pretzels are often sold at fairs or beer festivals. The pretzel shape is used for a variety of sweet pastries made of different types of dough (flaky, brittle, soft, crispy) with a variety of toppings (icing, nuts, seeds, cinnamon). Around Christmas, they can be made of soft gingerbread ( Lebkuchen ) with chocolate coating. In southern Germany and adjoining German-speaking areas, pretzels have retained their original religious meanings and are still used in various traditions and festivals. In some areas, on 1 January, people give each other lightly sweetened yeast pretzels for good luck and good fortune. These "New Year's pretzels" are made in different sizes and can have
2074-408: The bishop of Utrecht, Henry I van Vianden . A first defensive wall, made of brick, was completed around 1300 but expansion led to the construction of a new wall in 1380, which was completed around 1450. The Koppelpoort , a combined land and water gate, is part of this second wall. The first wall was demolished and houses were built in its place. Today's Muurhuizen (wallhouses) Street is located where
2135-501: The breweries which led to the decline of pretzel sales in Freeport, but the city never lost its pretzel pride. For more than 100 years, Freeport has been known as "Pretzel City, USA." Their high school athletic mascot is the Pretzel and the football stadium has been appropriately named "Pretzel Field." In 2003, local citizens launched Freeport's first Pretzel Festival which is a large community event where residents get together to celebrate
2196-580: The church was started in 1444. The church was destroyed by an explosion in 1787, but the tower survived, and the layout of the church still can be discerned today through the use of different types of stone in the pavement of the open space that was created. It is now the reference point of the RD coordinate system , the coordinate grid used by the Dutch topographical service: the RD coordinates are (155.000, 463.000). The inner city of Amersfoort has been preserved well since
2257-640: The city Utrecht, which is provided by U-OV. Amersfoort has three railway stations: All three serve direct trains to Utrecht Centraal and Zwolle . Amersfoort Centraal and Amersfoort Schothorst also have direct service to Den Haag Centraal , Amsterdam Centraal , and Amsterdam Zuid . Amersfoort Centraal further serves direct trains to Enschede , Rotterdam Centraal , Schiphol Airport , Leeuwarden , Groningen , Ede–Wageningen and Berlin Hauptbahnhof . Two major motorways pass Amersfoort: The river Eem (pronounced roughly "aim") begins in Amersfoort, and
2318-476: The city's pretzel history. Contestants are chosen to be crowned Pretzel Prince and Princess and a festival mascot by the name of "Pretzel Bill" (stemming from the Billerbeck Bakery name) dresses as a 6-foot tall walking talking pretzel who hands out pretzels from floats and takes photos with the local festival goers. The looped pretzel is known in other European countries and in other countries around
2379-473: The establishment of the first railway connection in 1863, and some years later, by the building of a substantial number of infantry and cavalry barracks, which were needed to defend the western cities of the Netherlands. After the 1920s, growth stalled again; in 1970, the national government designated Amersfoort, then numbering some 70,000 inhabitants, as a "growth city". During the First World War,
2440-400: The first wall stood. The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren (Tower of Our Lady ) is one of the tallest medieval church towers in the Netherlands at 98 metres (322 ft). When it was built, it was the middle point of The Netherlands, it was exactly built in the center and a reference for the Dutch grid system. The nickname of the tower is Lange Jan ('Long John'). The construction of the tower and
2501-409: The holes in the hubs of round Finnish flatbread, ruisreikäleipä , which let them be hung on poles suspended just below the kitchen ceiling, the loops in pretzels may have served a practical purpose: bakers could hang them on sticks, for instance, projecting upwards from a central column, as shown in a painting by Job Berckheyde (1630–1693) from around 1681. Pretzel baking has most firmly taken root in
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2562-469: The identity of the 101 soldiers was not known, until journalist Remco Reiding started investigating this case in 1999, after hearing about the cemetery. Amongst the few remaining people who witnessed the 101 soldiers is Henk Broekhuizen. Amersfoort has a historic centre, surrounded by ramparts, and home to dozens of monuments, like Other culturally important buildings are: Amersfoort had its own professional football (soccer) club named HVC Amersfoort. It
2623-544: The market square of Speyer, there is a fountain with a statue of a boy selling pretzels. The pretzel booths on the main street are permanently installed and were specially designed when the whole downtown area was redone for the 100th anniversary. One-day pretzel fests and markets in other German towns are in Kirchhellen, a borough of Bottrop , or in Kornwestheim . In 2003 and 2004, "Peace Pretzels" were baked for
2684-640: The north of the city. Remains of settlements dating to 1000 BC have been found in the Amersfoort area. The name Amersfoort, after a ford in the Amer River, today called the Eem , first appeared in the 11th century. The city grew around what is now the Hof , where the Bishops of Utrecht established a court in order to control the " Gelderse Vallei [ nl ] " area. It was granted city rights in 1259 by
2745-420: The number of inhabitants or the economic and planological functions within a larger area. Hence, settlements can be considered a city if they function as an urban centre in a rural area; while larger population centres in densely populated areas are often neither considered a village nor a city and are usually referred to with the generic word plaats (place). Inhabitants may also base their choice of words just on
2806-569: The only local administrative unit is the municipality . Regardless of this legal change, many people still use the old city rights as a criterion: certain small settlements proudly call themselves a stad because they historically had city rights, while other, newer towns may not get this recognition. Yet the old and third largest urban center of The Hague, has the status of the seat of the national government, but never received city rights for deliberate historical reasons. Geographers and policy makers can distinguish between places with respect to
2867-400: The people of Amersfoort Keientrekker (boulder-puller). This story embarrassed the inhabitants, and they buried the boulder in the city in 1672, but after it was found again in 1903 it was placed in a prominent spot as a monument. There are not many boulders in the Netherlands, so it can be regarded as an icon. One of the six Dutch towns established in the 17th century in what is now Brooklyn
2928-505: The pretzel has influenced culture, it has recently been heavily influenced by mass media . Landscape architecture and sculpture memorialized the strong identity that the city of Philadelphia had with pretzel cuisine of local bakers and popularity in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Recreation Department renamed in 2004 a facility formerly identified as Manayunk Park, located on the 4300 block of Silverwood Street as "Pretzel Park". The re-designed park includes pretzel-like looped pathways and
2989-673: The pretzel's popularity spread. In the 20th century, soft pretzels became popular in other regions of the United States. Cities such as Philadelphia , Chicago , and New York became renowned for their soft pretzels. The key to success was the introduction of the new mass production methods of the industrialized age , which increased the availability and quantity, and the opening up of multiple points of distribution at schools, convenience and grocery stores, and entertainment venues such as movie theaters, arenas, concert halls, and sport stadiums. Prior to that, street vendors used to sell pretzels on street corners in wooden glass-enclosed cases. In
3050-579: The pretzels. The city of Osnabrück celebrates the anniversary of the Peace of Westphalia (1648) and organizes an annual hobby horse race for grade-four children. On finishing the race, they are presented with a sweet pretzel. In heraldry , the city seal of Nörten dates from around 1550 and depicts two facing lions holding a pretzel at the center. The lye pretzel is the theme for a number of festivals in Germany. The city of Speyer prides itself to be
3111-544: The region of Franconia and adjoining Upper German -speaking areas, and pretzels have been an integral part of German baking traditions for centuries. Lye pretzels are popular in southern Germany, Alsace , Austria, and German-speaking Switzerland as a variety of bread, a side dish or a snack, and come in many local varieties. Examples for pretzel names in various Upper-German dialects are Breze , Brezn , Bretzel , Brezzl , Brezgen , Bretzga , Bretzet , Bretschl , Kringel , Silserli, and Sülzerli . Baked for consumption on
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#17327724985333172-535: The same day, they are sold in every bakery and in special booths or stands in downtown streets. Often, they are sliced horizontally, buttered, and sold as Butterbrezel , or come with slices of cold meats or cheese. Butter-filled pretzels are also commonly sold under this name. Sesame , poppy , sunflower , pumpkin , or caraway seeds , melted cheese , and bacon bits are other popular toppings. Some bakeries offer pretzels made of different flours, such as whole wheat , rye or spelt . In Bavaria, lye pretzels accompany
3233-410: The same ingredients, lye pretzels come in numerous local varieties. Sizes are usually similar; the main differences are the thickness of the dough, the content of fat and the degree of baking. Typical Swabian pretzels, for example, have very thin "arms" and a "fat belly" with a split, and a higher fat content. The thicker part makes it easier to slice them for the use of sandwiches. In Bavarian pretzels,
3294-531: The subjective way they experience life at a certain place. When discussing cities, the distinction is sometimes made between the cities in two urban networks. The largest urban network is known as Randstad , including the largest four cities in the Netherlands: Amsterdam , Rotterdam , The Hague and Utrecht . Of these, 3 have historic city rights: Utrecht from 1122; Amsterdam from 1306; and Rotterdam from 1340. The second urban network in
3355-466: The town has a port for inland water transport. The Eem connects to the nearby Eemmeer (Lake Eem). The Valleikanaal drains the eastern Gelderse Vallei [ nl ] and joins with other sources to form the Eem in Amersfoort. The municipal council of Amersfoort consists of 39 seats. The municipal council elections are held every 4 years. As of 2022, the seats are divided as follows: The city has
3416-610: The world. In Hungary it is called perec, a softer variant of the German pastry, usually eaten with cheese or salt-syrup baked on it. In Romania, the pretzel is known as a variety of covrigi ; it is a very common street food. In Sweden it is called kringlor, a small pretzel often covered with chocolate. The pretzel has become an element in popular culture, both as a food staple, and its unique knotted twist shape which has inspired ideas , perspectives , attitudes , memes , images , and other phenomena . Although historically,
3477-530: Was actually located in the neighbouring municipality of Leusden . After the war the leader of the camp, Joseph Kotälla, served a life sentence in prison. He died in captivity in 1979. Some of the victims of the camp are buried in Rusthof cemetery near the town. Among the victims were prisoners of war from the Soviet Union , including 101 Central Asians, mostly Uzbeks . Locals would commemorate them, but
3538-399: Was called "Nieuw Amersfoort" (New Amersfoort). The original patentees were Wolfert Gerritse van Kouwenhoven and Andries Hudde . Unlike other Dutch names which were retained up to the present, Nieuw Amersfoort is now called " Flatlands ". In the 18th century, the city flourished because of the cultivation of tobacco , but from about 1800 onwards began to decline. The decline was halted by
3599-464: Was founded on 30 July 1973, but disbanded on 30 June 1982 because of financial problems. The city also hosted the riding part of the modern pentathlon event for the 1928 Summer Olympics . Amersfoort also hosted the Dutch Open (tennis) tournament from 2002 until its end in 2008. The city is also home to the baseball and softball club Quick Amersfoort . The club's top men's baseball team plays in
3660-403: Was in 1949, when highly innovative American Machine and Foundry Co., of New York City, developed the "pretzel bender": a new automatic crispy-styled baked pretzel-twisting machine that rolled and tied them at the rate of 50 a minute—more than twice as fast as skilled hand twisters could make them—and conveyed them through the baking and salting process. The annual United States pretzel industry
3721-410: Was severely damaged on the orders of the then Nazi-controlled city government. It was restored and opened again after the war, and has been served since by a succession of rabbis . There was a Nazi concentration camp near the city of Amersfoort during the war. The camp, officially called Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Amersfoort (Police Transit Camp Amersfoort), better known as Kamp Amersfoort ,
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