Oranjehotel, Former World War II prison and national monument in Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands.
The Oranjehotel stands as a preserved historic prison complex featuring original cell blocks, death cell 601, and the main entrance gate that once confined over 25,000 detainees during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945.
Originally constructed in 1919 as Scheveningen prison, the facility was transformed by Nazi authorities into a detention center where resistance fighters, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, and political prisoners faced interrogation, imprisonment, and often execution during World War II.
The nickname 'Oranjehotel' was affectionately given by the Dutch population to honor the courage of resistance members imprisoned there, making it a powerful symbol of national pride and defiance against oppression during wartime.
Visitors can reach the memorial center via bus lines 22 and 23 or tram line 9, with stops located within a ten-minute walk, and the site offers guided tours, educational programs, and special events that must be booked in advance.
Cell 601, preserved in its original state as one of the designated death cells, provides visitors with a direct and visceral connection to the harsh realities faced by prisoners who awaited execution within these walls.
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