Asterdorp

Asterdorp reminds people of a strange experiment. Nearly 100 years ago this unusual district was inhabited by roughly 100 so-called ‘difficult families’ that were referred to as ‘antisocial people.’ They learned how to live without causing inconvenience to others here, but under the supervision of strict house supervisors. Just in case the experiment were to fail, the whole district was surrounded by a 2m-high wall. At the advent of World War II the village was cleared in order to provide accommodation to refugees from the bombarded city of Rotterdam. In 1942 German/Jewish families were imprisoned at Asterdorp and were deported a year later. The complex was demolished in 1955 and all that remains today is the gatehouse where the white, right-angled, two-storey building now stands that used to be the only entrance to Asterdorp. The illustrious local artist André Volten also lived here until his death.