Amsterdam: Women of My Choice

     This is me sitting next to Major Alida Bosshardt. Although this statue shows her as an elderly woman, her story started when she was still young. When Alida was 18 years old she felt very impressed to join the Salvation Army right. This was around the time of WWII and she helped to run an orphanage. We learned that since this part of the time was during the Nazi occupation, she helped Jewish families by keeping their kids safe by keeping documents out of Nazi hands. After the war she helped in the red light district to better the conditions for the women working there. She opened that area's first goodwill and became a much beloved member of the community.

To me, her contribution is important because she went down into scary, darker paths to help those who needed it most. It sounded like she was a light who shed love instead of judgment. True service is all about caring for individuals and making a difference where we can. She is a great example of a woman that we can try to emulate. The more that we recognize the good that women have done in history, the more we see their worth, we see what they offer, we see their impact. From what I understand, her service helped to instigate important outreach efforts and she was able to make a lasting difference. 

I believe that she is commemorated quite well for a number of reasons. First, she has this lovely statue of her on a bench, it shows that she is warm and welcoming and that she wants to listen to your story. Second, she has a bridge in the red light district named for her which can also be symbolic. It showed that she was building bridges between communities that would normally never associate. The purpose was to bring health and better conditions. To me it shows that we can and should serve whomever needs support and help. I love that both of her monuments in this area carry a message that is connected to Major Bosshardt's character and mission. She is an icon! 

Comments

  1. Kaia HathawayMay 15, 2024 at 7:31 PM

    Really great post, Anna! I think you’re so right that she had to go against the norms of her time. And that would’ve been a scary path to take. During her time, people did care as much about how the homeless and sex workers were treated, but Bosshardt make a strong advocation for change. Sex work was (and still is) such a major part of Amsterdam and what makes it a cultural capital. The Red Light District (and common practices there) is what Bosshardt wanted to improve. So, by learning about Bosshardt, we can see the influence she had in the city, and what a major role she played. Her work on improving the conditions of sex workers is important in understanding Amsterdam and its history.

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  2. Molly BryantMay 18, 2024 at 6:00 PM

    Loved getting to read your blog! Major Alida Bosshardt sounds amazing! I think learning about her totally deepens our understanding of Amsterdam. We are able to learn more about the red light district and the women who work there. We are able to open our eyes more and understand that we shouldn't be judging these women and they all have their own story.

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