Roadblocks set up around the Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam shortly before the opening

The opening of the National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam is surrounded by extensive security measures. Employees of the Amsterdam municipality began setting up roadblocks early this morning.

King Willem-Alexander will open the museum on Sunday around noon. He will give a speech in the Portuguese Synagogue and then visit the museum on the Plantage Middenlaan.

The museum is located in the former Hervormde Kweekschool (Reformed Teacher Training College) and tells the story of the persecution of Jews in the Netherlands.The Hollandsche Schouwburg was used to round up Jews during World War Two before they were sent off to the concentration camps. "In the summer of 1943, Jewish children from the daycare center next door were taken to the College and then moved to places of hiding. Some 600 children were saved in this way," according to the Jewish Cultural Quarter.

The realization of the museum required great efforts, said director Emile Schrijver earlier this week. "We ran a huge campaign and raised 32 million euros. That is a huge sum." In particular, the large contribution from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in 2017, namely 5.6 million euros, was a "decisive moment". As a result, more parties wanted to get involved. "I was able to show that the government is involved. That made a big difference."

In addition to the king, outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, outgoing State Secretary Fleur Gräper-van Koolwijk (Culture and Media) and outgoing State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen (Public Health, Welfare and Sport) are also present at the opening. Israeli President Isaac Herzog will also attend the opening. According to the Jewish Cultural Quarter, to which the museum falls, Herzog represents, among other things, the Dutch Holocaust survivors who emigrated to Israel after the Second World War to build a new future there.

Furthermore, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will attend the opening of the Amsterdam museum. According to the Jewish Cultural Quarter, to which the museum belongs, Herzog represents, among others, the Dutch Holocaust survivors who emigrated to Israel after the Second World War to build a new future there.

However, protests have been announced around his arrival. One of the demonstrating organizations, the Jewish anti-Zionist organization Erev Rav, is calling for the president to be arrested "next Sunday for incitement to genocide against the Palestinians". Erev Rav filed a complaint against Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Saturday. The organization is asking the ICC, among other things, to issue an arrest warrant against Herzog.

NOS will broadcast the opening of the museum live on NPO 1. In the evening, a retrospective can be seen on NPO 2.