Reformed Amsterdam gangster, Hugo Broers, discusses his life in the Red Light District

Hugo Broers is one of the last faces of the old Amsterdam underworld. With nicknames such as “The Monster of the Warmoesstraat” or “Robin Hood,” he became a famous gangster in Amsterdam and far beyond. His turbulent life story, encapsulated in his autobiography “Penoze Hugo,” is now available for an English-speaking audience.

In his book, Hugo Broers writes unfiltered about his chaotic childhood, his immersion in the world of prostitution and drugs, his encounters with notorious Dutch criminals, his life in prison, the drugs that consumed him, and the wisdom he has gained throughout this journey. His words not only depict the life story of a colorful character who was eventually convicted of killing someone, but his story also paints a vivid picture of Amsterdam – its gritty past and the transformation it has undergone over the years.

"This isn't just a novel; it’s the real truth," exclaimed Hugo in his signature Amsterdam accent during an interview with NL Times. “It contains everything – beautiful things, stupid things, and everything in between. C’est la vie.”

Hugo Broers, 65, was born in 1957 in the middle of the Red Light District, “between the bars and the hookers,” as he wrote. His childhood was marked by the daily physical abuse from his father, something he said molded him into the man he would become. “The pain never wears off,” (“pijn slijt nooit”) he remarked.

He started making money by doing groceries for the sex workers in de Wallen but soon discovered a more lucrative opportunity. Buying hash from coffee shops and selling it to tourists, he says he made his first millions at the age of 19 but lost it almost immediately, to parties, but also to people in need. “I always gave it away. You need to have fun,” he said laughing.

His life took a turn to the darker side as he got involved in various crimes that included ripping off people in drug deals, hustling, drug trafficking, bank robberies, and even manslaughter. His cumulative sentence for multiple crimes amounted to nearly 14 years behind bars, varying from short stints of an hour to prolonged stays spanning several years.

According to Broers, the man he killed in 1986 was an act of self-defense. During a tense poker game, the man had drawn a gun, threatening one of Hugo's friends. Broers stabbed him, and went into hiding. After the police found him in his mother’s house in Friesland, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter.

In jail, he became the bodyguard to top criminals such as Willem Holleeder and Cor van Hout, both involved in the kidnapping in 1983 of Freddy Heineken, the former chair of the Heineken brewing company. Broers became famous in jail for beating up pedophiles and traitors, he said.

“I was a crook, but an honest crook,” he declared, adding that throughout his whole life, he only harmed what he called “the wrong people,” such as crooks, pimps, or dealers. “And traitors and pedophiles, but that goes without saying.” He never hurt or harmed anyone who worked or led a decent life. “But if you did something to women, children, old people, disabled people or animals, then you got a little present from me,” he chuckled. “I lived by my own codes, if you respected them you were safe.”

All his life, he only cared about one thing: justice. “I couldn’t stand injustice because I knew exactly what it felt like to be treated unfairly myself.” “To this day, I think it’s right to punish people who treat other people badly,” he added.

In 1993, he was released from prison and launched his own detective and security agency. He was hired as a guard in several businesses in the Red Light District, including bars, coffee shops, and clubs, … and the McDonalds!

There was a brief detour in America, where he spent 11 months incarcerated in a jail Houston, between notorious gangs such as the Bloods, the Crips, and the Aryan Brotherhood. Neo-nazis wanted him to join them, but he instead opt for Mexicans. “I don’t like racists, I like all the colors of the rainbow.”

When he returned to Amsterdam, he turned to drugs again, wandering around the city and waking up on a different porch every morning. He sought professional help in 2008 and got cleaned.

“Now it’s over, I live a healthy life.” He has now reached a certain level of wisdom. “It was not always easy, but these were the most beautiful years of my life. I have no regrets.” He has been sober, clean, and stable for 13 years. He eats healthy and goes to the gym almost every day. “Thaiboxing!” he said proud.

He also dedicates his time to speaking at schools, sharing his experiences with young people, and discouraging them from entering the underworld. “Being a crook today is not what it used to be. Everyone is ruthless.”

Hugo now resides in the Bijlmer, near the Johan Cruijff Arena, but he still visits the Red Light District every day. “I know everyone there, and everyone knows me, it’s still my neighborhood,” he claimed with pride. He also gives guided walking tours in the Red Light District to pass on the knowledge about what life used to be in the old Amsterdam, showing the alleys where he used to deal drugs or the corner where "that one nymphomaniac whore used to work." People interested in a tour can reach out to him via Instagram. “Everyone is welcome,” he said. Depending on the number of people, he tours for about an hour and a half.

“Sometimes my memories and walks almost feel like an ode to a city that is disappearing,” he wrote in his book about his guided tours. He regrets that Amsterdam has changed so much over the years. "De Wallen used to be a real neighborhood. Now there are only rich people, only yuppies. There's no more social housing, no more solidarity. If something happens to you on the street, nobody will come to help you.”

While he remarked that life was not necessarily better in the past, it was certainly different. "Now it's all about 'me, me, me,' and everyone else can go to hell." (Ikke ikke ikke en de rest kan stikken.) He lamented, "People no longer care for each other."

His dissatisfaction with Amsterdam's plan to reduce tourism in the city center is evident. "They're ruining everything. Nowaday, you're not allowed to do anything. You can't drink beer on the street, you can't smoke hash. It's just rules, rules and rules. I'm getting tired of it." His perspective on the situation is clear: "Amsterdam is becoming less and less gezellig.”

When inquired about the main message of his book, his response came swiftly and decisively, “Don’t do hard drugs. And show respect and love to people around you."

Initially published in Dutch in March 2022, the English translation of the book "Penoze Hugo" is now available at some Amsterdam bookstores, at the Schiphol bookstores, and online on the website of Uitgeverij De Kring publisher, bol.com and Amazon.nl.