Amsterdam Choice Woman

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Alida Bosshardt is literally such a boss! I had never heard of Major Bosshardt before coming here to Amsterdam, but she is a very interesting lady and deserves some more recognition. She went to a Salvation Army meeting and decided that she was going to join even though she was not religious and she was only eighteen years old. During the holocaust, she took care of many Jewish children and helped many women who were working in the redlight district. She also established the first Goodwill in Amsterdam for the women in the redlight district. She is very inspiring and accomplished so many good things in her lifetime, I hope I can help people like she did! 

Her contribution is important because she was able to save so many Jewish children and hide them during the occupation. So many lives were saved and she truly made a difference in the lives of those living in Amsterdam at the time. She also was one of the first people to start helping the women in the red light district and after researching her more I found a quote that I liked from her, she said, “Should I imagine that I can fight prostitution? No way! I try to lend a helping hand to these women”. She is very brave for having a very progressive attitude towards prostitution at the time and for making that change happen. 


I think she has been commemorated well. The bench we saw was very cool I thought and such a great way to incorporate her into the city there, and its where lots of people go so it can spark interest for a lot of people to learn more. I also researched more about her and she has another statue, and also her grave is a popular place for people to visit and learn more about her. There is also the Major Bosshardt Prize which is named after her and given to those who “have been of singular merit for society”. The only thing I think could be done better is I had never even heard about her before so she should be mentioned more in schools, especially when learning about the holocaust.


Comments

  1. Anna's Study Abroad 2024May 13, 2024 at 9:01 AM

    She was a Boss! I think that she deepens our understanding of amsterdam because she is an example of a good person doing good things in time of war or in dark places. This shows that this city has people who can do good and be the change. Any cultural capital needs that!

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  2. Meg KiehlMay 19, 2024 at 7:12 AM

    Great post Betsy! I like that you pointed out that Alida Bosshardt helped take care of Jewish children during the Holocaust. She also went on to help many marginalized populations of Amsterdam, but her contribution during WWII was especially significant. Amsterdam did a great job commemorating her with the bridge and the statue and I like that you pointed out that they also named an award after her.

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  3. Grace SoelbergMay 19, 2024 at 9:34 AM

    Betsy, your post is informative and engaging, and I loved what you said about curiosity being sparked through the bench dedicated to Major Bosshardt! Having monuments like the bench in Amsterdam can help establish women's history in cultural capitals because they draw people in as they recognize the uniqueness of the monument. Bosshardt's history is rich, and she contributes a lot to the city's cultural capital through charity work and advocacy!

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  4. Audrey FergusonJune 7, 2024 at 11:18 PM

    I loved your post Betsy! I think learning about Major Bosshardt can help deepens our understanding of Amsterdam and a cultural capital. She helped out so many Jewish children during the holocaust and helps out the women have better conditions in the red light district. She contribute charity to Amsterdam and made sure Amsterdam is a place for every one no matter their status which makes it a cultural capital.

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