I found these photos of Amsterdam in the 80`s in an album on Facebook. It`s not very clear to me who the author is, so check the link to see for yourself.
I looked at them amazed and suddenly understood what my friends who had been living in Amsterdam for more than 20 years meant when saying “it was all different back then”.
Evicted squats, demonstrations of all kinds, sex, drugs and rock & roll, living in camper vans… What else?
The 80`s were definitely some very restless years and, as you are about to see, Amsterdam was no exception.
“Psychedelic Furs”, “Deep Purple”, Amsterdam
Vijzelstraat
Children in De Pijp
Leidseplein, 1984
Somewhere in Amsterdam
Vondelpark, 1986
Street musicians near FEBO
Spuistraat, 1984
Fire and smoke during eviction on Conradstraat
Free land near Artis
Beatrixpark
Street music
“Better to live free ouside than to be exploited” / Free land next to Artis for all those who wanted to lived there, later on evicted due to extension of Artis.
Leidseplein, 1984
Street acrobatics
Flower stall at Vijzelstraat / Weteringcircuit
Florist reading in flower stall at Vijzelstraat / Weteringcircuit
Amsterdam balcony
Lola Dominicus, Spuistraat
Pigeons at Dam square
Leidseplein, 1984
“No atomic weapons in the Netherlands” – demonstration agains war at Dam square
Ostadestraat corner with Ferdinand Bolstraat, 1986
Celebrating Independance Day in Vondelpark, 1985
Ferdinand Bolstraat, 1984
Home birthday party at Waterlooplein, 1986
Girl and bike
Leidseplein 1984
On the boat in the Eastern Docklands, 1986
Tram 1
Vijzelstraat
Spuistreet, 1985
De Dam 1984
Leidseplein, 1984
Evacuation of building on the Keizersgracht
Ice cream man at Dam square. Behind him, someone comfortably reading a book.
Vondelpark, 1986
Puppeteer and its audience at Dam square
Nieuwmarktbuurt, 1985
Punks in the Wielingen, a squatters’ stronghold near Scheldestraat / RAI. Nowadays demolished and new buildings errected.
Spuistraat, 1985
Burning dolls at squat Wielingen`s pub.
Metro entrance at Amsterdam Central Station
Fire during eviction at Conradstraat
Street musician, 1986
Dam
Singel
Eviction of Wijers complex at the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, 1984
Tram stop at Leidseplein, 1984
Eviction of Wijers complex at the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, 1984. Everyone was inside, waiting for what it was about to happen.
Leidsestraat, 1985
Spectators at eviction in Staatsliedenbuurt, 1986
Eviction of Wijers complex at the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, 1984
Where in Amsterdam?
Walking in Amsterdam, hand in hand.
“Free place for heroin and prostitution” – demonstration near Amsterdam Central Station
Group protest against war on the Dam
Shot in container – Nieuwmarktbuurt, 1985
Eviction in Staatsliedenbuurt, 1986
Street musician
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7 Comments
You asked \’Where in Amsterdam?\’ (The seventh image starting from under): Leidseplein. 😉
Additional note: At the left you can still see part of the Stadsschouwburg. The (ugly) Burgerking \’umbrella\’ use to open completely when it started to rain. I wonder if these photos were made by Ed van der Elsken. Anyhow, you should really take a look at his Amsterdam series. Sure you\’ll love his work. Tot ziens! 😉
Thanks for the suggestion! I will surely take a look at Ed\’s photos. 😊 Tot ziens!
Those are great. I always thought of the 80s as being a big downturn from the protests of the 60s (which even I was too young to take much of a part in) and the 70s, but I guess there was still a lot of momentum. The city certainly looked a lot scruffier then, and I\’m not just referring to the punks and remaining hippies and Provos. By the way, nobody (of any social class) ate brunch back then, at least not in Europe.
The junkies shooting up in the containers were terribly sad, though…
Know the man reclining and reading behind the ice-cream seller ( he was a fellow busker from England but I won’t name him in case he doesn’t want to be identified!) Was in Amsterdam for the summer months of 84 and 85. I was part of a female duo that sang and played guitar mainly on the Leidesplein (Beatles, Everly Brothers, Simon and Garfunkel covers). Have some great memories and stayed in squats in Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal (old Salvation Army Building) and a beautiful building with red shutters in Waterlooplein. As we were there in the Summer months we missed all the action of mass evictions. There were fantastic squatting communities in some amazing buildings and the Dutch youth were really politically engaged and organised. Really great seeing these photos. Can’t see me or my pal though and we must be in so many photo albums across the world as people were always taking snaps. We didn’t use any amplification just belted out the songs. Earned enough to keep us happy. Thanks for putting these up here – it was a great city and I would go back in a flash if it wasn’t so expensive!!
Thank you for leaving this comment! I looked again at the photos in this post and I got this feeling of missing out. I have never experienced Amsterdam like that. The city belonged to the people – that’s how I can summarize these photos. I wonder what the guy with the book was reading. 🙂
I love these photos, view them every time I miss Amsterdam. They make me feel and think full of A-Dam, always wanted to know early times of the city and the culture and evolution of both. thanks for the sharing…