Birnbaum

Amersfoort, nicknamed Keistad (boulder-city), which came from the Amersfoortse Kei, a 9-tonne (19,842 lb) boulder that was dragged from the Soest moors into the city in 1661 by 400 people on a bet between two landowners (the story embarrassed Amersfoort's inhabitants, and, in 1672, they buried the boulder in the city, but, in 1903, it was found and was placed in a prominent spot as a monument), was named after a ford in the Amer River, today, the Eem.
The city grew around what is now known as the central square, the Hof, where the Bishops of Utrecht established a court in order to control the "Gelderse vallei" area.
Amersfoort was granted city rights in 1259 by the bishop of Utrecht Henry I van Vianden.
The inner city of Amersfoort, which dates back to the Middle Ages,is well preserved, icluding structures such as the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwetoren, the Koppelpoort , and the Muurhuizen (Wall-houses), the Sint-Joris church, the canal-system with its bridges, as well as medieval and other old buildings; many are designated as national monuments.
In the Middle Ages, Amersfoort was an important centre for the textile industry, and there were a large number of breweries.

At the beginning of the Second World War, Amersfoort's Jewish community numbered about 700 people.
Half of the Jewish population were deported and killed, in Auschwitz and Sobibor.
In 1943, the synagogue, dating from 1727, was severely damaged on the orders of the then Nazi-controlled city government, but It was restored and opened again after the war.
There was a concentration camp near Amersfoort, officially called Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Amersfoort (Police Transit Camp Amersfoort), better known as Kamp Amersfoort, which was actually located in the neighbouring municipality of Leusden.
After the war the leader of the camp, Joseph Kotälla, was sentenced to death.

Notable people from Amersfoort:
* Piet Mondriaan (1872-1944)