On Monday, January 26, 2026, Dienke Hondius presented the second edition of her book “Absent: Herinneringen Aan Het Joods Lyceum Amsterdam 1941-1943” (Absent: Memories of the Jewish Lyceum Amsterdam 1941-1943) at the opening night of the temporary exhibition “Who is Missing?” – The Jewish Lyceum 1941-1943” at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
Hondius’ book traces the experiences of the 519 students and 51 teachers and staff at the Joods Lyceum in Amsterdam from 1941 to 1943. In 1941, the Germans mandated all Jewish students to attend segregated schools in the Netherlands after their summer holidays. The Joods Lyceum was one of 25 Jewish schools in the city. During the school’s second year, students, teachers and staff were arrested, deported or went into hiding. According to Hondius’ research, 248 students and 32 teachers and staff went into hiding and 336 students and 28 teachers and staff were deported to the camps. Ultimately, half of the students and 35% of teachers and staff were killed in the Holocaust. The school closed in 1943. The second edition of Absent includes additional research and photographs. When the first edition was published in 2001, the fate of 73 students was unknown. Now all are accounted for.
Maurits van Witsen, a 98-year-old survivor and former student at the Joods Lyceum, shared his experiences at the school during the Anne Frank House event. He recalled that while in school, his classmates acted like most children – studying, playing, and teasing one another – doing their best not to let the surrounding dangers consume them. After the war, van Witsen sought to reintegrate into society as an ordinary citizen, distancing himself from constant reminders about the Holocaust. In recent years, however, he has felt compelled to share his experiences publicly as a cautionary account. This was his first visit to the Anne Frank House.
In 2001, 133 students and 3 teachers were still alive; now Maurits van Witsen is presumably only one of five students who remains. Loes Gompes, the daughter of Miep Gompes-Lobatto (who had been a student at the Joods Lyceum), also attended the event.
The exhibition “Who is Missing” contains photographs, memorabilia and documents from students, teachers and staff at the Joods Lyceum and records from the Dutch government about the establishment of the school. It will be shown at the Anne Frank House until the end of 2026.
On Thursday 19 March, another exhibition, “Lege stoelen in de klas” (Empty Chairs In The Classroom), was opened in Amsterdam, now at the City Archives (Stadsarchief Amsterdam) on Vijzelstraat 32. This exhibit was initiated by history teacher Cees Koole of the Spinozalyceum in Amsterdam and contains information about what happened to the Jewish students of other schools in Amsterdam during the Holocaust. The exhibition will be shown at the City Archives until 14 June 2026.