* September 17 1877
† Amsterdam May 7 1945
Petrus Antonius Joseph van Dam was born in Gouda, September 17 1877 as a son of Dirk van Dam and Adriana Veerman. He married in 1901 with Johanna den Riet. In Gouda two chidren were born, they moved in 1905 to Amsterdam where 6 other children were brought into the world. The family lived at Zeeburgerdijk 64. His profession was business traveler.
Petrus was the victim photographed by Wiel van der Randen, besides the ice cream cart, at the corner of the Eggertstraat/Dam, made from the roof of the church.
In the movie below, his daughter-in-law Tine van Dam tells her story about this day. This is broadcasted by RTV-NH of May 7, 2005, which is provided by Laura van den Broek.
Several (great-)grandchildren of Petrus Antonius van Dam reacted like granddaughter Marijke Bolck:
“The victim beside the ice cream cart is my grandfather, the father of my father. My father often show me this picture when I was a little girl. I heard the awful story many times.Later on I told the story to my children and everybody who wants to hear it.”
Granddaugther Gemmy van den Broek:
“My grandfather died by this shooting.I was born shortly after the war and heard a lot about it from my father. He looked for his father and found him in the Zuiderkerk and had to identify him. This has made a very deep impression on him.”
Great-grandson Andre van Roon:
“During my childhood somebody told me that at the end of World War II, shortly after the liberation, the Germans had been
shooting on the celebrating Dutch at the Dam in Amsterdam.At this my great-grandfather( the grandfather of my father)died. My grandmother always had a magazine (Katholieke Illustratie), in which a report was made about this tragedy and a picture of my great-grandfather. This magazine should still be in the family. I have never seen the concerning picture. Because this tragedy has fascinated me as a child (also the dead of my great-grandfather) I’m very pleased that thanks to your website I have more information about it. Thanks for the information and the pictures and I will follow your website.
Grandson Theo Blijleven:
Of course I knew the story of my mother (Tonny van Dam), she lived at home.My grandmother died shortly after him (November 13 1945). According to my mother of grieve. The pain of not knowing my grandfather (and grandmother) came later and never left. His portrait hung at our home on the wall and still hangs by my youngest sister.
