This was my first explore in the Netherlands, as we were driving up Osfa was saying that people up here are generally a lot more friendly. As we pulled up by the location, our car was swarmed by middle aged women helping us out the car with our bags, asking if we were OK and if we liked singing! Mad. Turned out they were part of a local theatre group having a sing along and wanted to see if we were joining them!
Unfortunately, demo had started on the building, but we creep round the back of the site to have a wander in anyway. As we’re creeping in the grounds we hear a loud confident “Goedemorgen!” from a passer-by. I love it here!
Unfortunately, the history behind Annas isn’t a happy one. It is infamous for being one of the first practitioners of infant euthanasia, usually for completely treatable conditions.
Despite the demo being stopped for asbestos (more on that below). They went ahead and flattened the euthanasia wing regardless, as they knew it would become a target for attacks / vandalism / macabre trophy hunters.
This was the corridor that would have led there:
More corridors:
Finally the chapel. We could only access this from the upper floor, and it was a bugger to light.
This is 30 secs at ISO400 with three people frantically lightpainting!
After we left the site we went back and interviewed the friendly ladies about the site. I say ‘we’ but Osfa was the only Dutch speaker… They explained that the building underwent soft strip and asbestos removal a couple of years back. They started demolition proper and more asbestos was found. Obviously the owner wants his money back / further removal of asbestos by the original company. They have entered a legal battle which is now holding back the remainder of the demolition. I did video the interview, but like I say it’s all in Dutch.
Cheers for reading.
Unfortunately, demo had started on the building, but we creep round the back of the site to have a wander in anyway. As we’re creeping in the grounds we hear a loud confident “Goedemorgen!” from a passer-by. I love it here!
Unfortunately, the history behind Annas isn’t a happy one. It is infamous for being one of the first practitioners of infant euthanasia, usually for completely treatable conditions.
Despite the demo being stopped for asbestos (more on that below). They went ahead and flattened the euthanasia wing regardless, as they knew it would become a target for attacks / vandalism / macabre trophy hunters.
This was the corridor that would have led there:
More corridors:
Finally the chapel. We could only access this from the upper floor, and it was a bugger to light.
This is 30 secs at ISO400 with three people frantically lightpainting!
After we left the site we went back and interviewed the friendly ladies about the site. I say ‘we’ but Osfa was the only Dutch speaker… They explained that the building underwent soft strip and asbestos removal a couple of years back. They started demolition proper and more asbestos was found. Obviously the owner wants his money back / further removal of asbestos by the original company. They have entered a legal battle which is now holding back the remainder of the demolition. I did video the interview, but like I say it’s all in Dutch.
Cheers for reading.
Last edited:
