14 Historical Accounts in English and Dutch for the Digital Humanities Project The Other Map of Amsterdam | De andere kaart van Amsterdam
By Dr. Nina Schroeder-van ’t Schip
Art Historian & Dutch Mennonite Heritage Researcher, n.schroedervantschip@doopsgezindamsterdam.nl, +31 (0)6 2868 6090
Completed on behalf of Doopsgezind Amsterdam
Published online, 2025–2026 – In honour of the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam
Introduction:
The following fourteen online stories offer a picture of Anabaptist/Mennonite/Doopsgezinde history in Amsterdam. The stories focus in on several former or current locations around the city with ties to Doopsgezind Amsterdam (formerly known as VDGA), Amsterdam’s Mennonite/Doopsgezind congregation. These stories are all available on the webpage for the digital humanities project called The Other Map of Amsterdam / De Andere kaart van Amsterdam. The aim of this project is to share the history of the city of Amsterdam by way of stories about specific religious heritage objects that are connected to the meeting locations of the diverse religious groups around the city. The project was coordinated by Dr. Hermine Pool (Curator, Our Lord in the Attic Museum) and Prof. Dr. August den Hollander (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), and stories have been formatted for online publication by Pieter-Jan van Giersbergen (Curator, Our Lord in the Attic Museum). The project was formally launched in 2025 in honour of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. Various scholars and students were asked to collaborate as authors of the short stories that bring this map to life. Stories are still being added. Read more on the project’s intro page: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en
You can zoom in and click on the various story points visible on this interactive map in order to read the stories (~300-400 words each). You can also switch between Dutch and English versions of the stories via the button at the top-right corner of the page. The map can be accessed here: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map
Direct Links to the Anabaptist/Mennonite/Doopsgezinde stories on the map:
- [Various Locations/eg. A ferry boat] – “Weetdoeners and Martyrdom: Clandestine Anabaptist Gatherings in the 16th Century” / “Weetdoeners en martelaarschap: Clandestiene bijeenkomsten van dopers in de 16e eeuw”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/AMS01-gathering-on-the-amstel
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/AMS01-bijeenkomst-op-de-amstel
- A House on the Zoutsteeg – “The Naked Runners in Amsterdam” / “De naaktlopers te Amsterdam”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/ZOU01-the-naked-runners-in-amsterdam
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/ZOU01-de-naaktlopers-in-amsterdam
- The Singelkerk (Kerk bij’t Lam) –“Adult Baptism Then and Now” / “Volwassenendoop toen en nu”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/SIN01-baptismal-bowl
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/SIN01-doopschaal
- The Jan Jacobszgezinden – “The Jan Jacobszgezinden on the Bloemstraat” / “De Jan Jacobszgezinden aan de Bloemstraat”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/JJG01-drawing-of-a-church-interior
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/JJG01-tekening-van-een-kerkinterieur
- The Rijpenhofje– “The Rijpenhofje” / “Het Rijpenhofje”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/RIJ01-family-portrait
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/RIJ01-familieportret
- The Waterlanders at the Toren – “‘Ay Rembrandt, paint Cornelis’s Voice’: The Waterlander Mennonites at the Church by the Tower” / “‘Ay, Rembrant, mael Cornelis stem’: De Waterlander Doopsgezinden in de Kerk bij de Toren”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/DTO01-cornelis-claesz-anslo
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/DTO01-cornelis-claesz-anslo
- The English Mennonites at the Bakehouse– “English Mennonites at the Bakehouse: John Smyth, the Short Confession of Faith, and the ‘English Section’ of the Waterlander Congregation” / “Engelse doopsgezinden in het Bakhuis: John Smyth, de ‘Korte Belydenisse des Geloofs’ en de ‘Engelse afdeling’ van de Waterlander gemeente”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/BAK01-bakehouse-in-1599
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/BAK01-bakehouse-in-1599
- The Drie Kruikjes – “The Danziger Old Flemish at the Drie Kruikjes: What Did Mennonite Orthodoxy Look Like?” / “De Danziger Oude Vlamingen bij de Drie Kruikjes: Hoe ziet de orthodoxie eruit?”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/DDK01-facade-of-de-drie-kruikjes
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/DDK01-gevel-van-de-drie-kruikjes
- The Zon – “The War of the Lambs and a Zonist Mennonite’s Hopes for Reunification” / “De Lammerenkrijgh en de hoop op hereniging”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/DZO01-communion-service
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/DZO01-heilig-avondmaal
- The Zonshofje – “A Gable Stone that Tells a Story [: the Kleine Zon, the Arcke Noach, and the Zonshofje]” / “Een gevelsteen met een verhaal”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/KZO01-the-arke-noach-gable-stone
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/KZO01-gevelsteen-van-de-arke-noach
- The Orangjeappel –“The Orangjeappel Orphanage Through the Eyes of an Artist Who Grew Up There” / “Het Oranjeappelweeshuis door de ogen van een kunstenaar die daar opgroeide”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/OAP01-regents-of-de-oranjeappel
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/OAP01-regenten-van-de-oranjeappel
- The Doopsgezind Seminarium –“Carvings in the Table: Anne Zernike and the Dutch Mennonite Seminary” / “Krassen in de Tafel: Anne Zernike en het Doopsgezind Seminarium”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/DGS01-table
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/DGS01-tafel
- The Meerpadkerk in Amsterdam Noord– “Meerpadkerk: The Cross in Amsterdam’s Smallest Church” / “Het wandkruis van de kleinste kerk van Amsterdam”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/MPK01-wooden-cross
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/MPK01-houten-kruis
- The Olijftak – “Couzijn’s Vliegend/Vogel finds its home at the Olijftak” / “Vliegend/Vogel krijgt een plaats op de gevel van de Olijftak”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/OLI01-vliegend-vogel-flying-bird
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/OLI01-vliegend-vogel
AND one additional story (Not Anabaptist/Mennonite):
- English Reformed Church – “The English Reformed Church and its Pulpits: The Alteration, William and Mary…and Mondriaan” / “De Engelse Kerk en haar preekstoelen: De Alteratie, Willem en Mary… en Mondriaan”
English: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/en/map/ENG01-pulpit
Dutch: https://deanderekaart.amsterdam/nl/kaart/ENG01-preekstoel
