Kamp van Zeist - Soesterberg, the Netherlands
Posted by: Becktracker
N 52° 06.690 E 005° 17.629
31U E 657069 N 5775921
The Camp of Zeist was the primary refugee camp for Belgian soldiers in WWI
Waymark Code: WM15391
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Date Posted: 10/07/2021
Views: 10
The Kamp van Zeist is located next to the current highway A28 south of Soesterberg. It is now a business park, part jail, and part practise terrain for the army. "It was founded in 1804 by French and Dutch patriot armies. During WWI, 12000 soldiers from the Belgian army where sheltered in the camp." The Netherlands were neutral and were a safehaven for Belgian soldiers and citizens.
"There was an uprising in the camp in december 1914. The refugees were angry about the living circumstances in the camp. The uprising was put down brutally and eight soldiers were killed and there were 18 wounded." The camp was still in operation during WWII. After World war II it became an army fliyng base and afterwards the National Museum for the Air Forces (I visited this museum several times as a child). The Museum left for another location in Soesterberg, nowadays it is a small business area. There is also a military practise area and jail.
source: (
visit link)
During the visit I didn't saw any traces of WWI anymore. There is no sign. I saw a memorial but that was for the second World War.