Gas mask building
Built in 1929, not a monument
Past
This is where gas masks were made and tested. The story goes that employees could test gas masks for 1 guilder, which was a lot of money back then. In 1937, Opleiding Vaklieden, which later became the Hembrug in-company training centre, was based here. This was the Netherlands’ first in-company training centre. It was hard to find good technical personnel. Plus, many people had moral objections to working at a weapons and munitions factory. The outstanding quality of teaching and the ability to learn while being paid made the training centre appealing. Here, apprentices were taught turning, milling, grinding, benchworking, welding, and electrical installation. Most employees began their careers at Artillerie Inrichtingen with the ‘Vaklieden’ training, and formed lifelong friendships.
A former employee recalls: ‘That’s how, in August 1946, I ended up at the in-company training centre at A.I.Hembrug. The training centre was called: ‘Opleiding Vaklieden’. You were paid while you learned. I ended 21 cents an hour. (…) The sport lessons were mandatory. Every week, in all weathers, we did sport outdoors on the football pitch. When the weather was really bad, we used one of the empty buildings. There were 2 mustard gas tanks on the sports field, and their manholes were open to let the air through. And of course, we went to have a look. We were far too blasé about the danger. There was also a big chimney on the waste incinerator that processed the industrial waste. Some boys climbed up via the climbing irons on the outside of the chimney, went over the edge, and came back down via the inside. There’s no way I was brave enough to do that.’
Present
The current occupant is Uncrowned King. This company specializes in producing and designing films, series, commercials, shows, and theatre performances.
More information: http://uncrowned-king.com/
‘Bankwerkerij’ fitting shop training centre, 1953.
Pupils of the training centre at the benches behind the ‘Hemklem’ (Hem clamp), a well-known product of the ‘Artillerie Inrichtingen’ (national ammunition and weapons factory).
The Zaans Museum was founded in 1998 on the Zaanse Schans to guard and preserve the Zaan heritage.
The Hembrug Museum tells the story of the arms and ammunition factory that was located on the Hembrugterrein in Zaandam.
In 1697, the Russian Tsar Peter the Great stayed in this world-famous house in the center of Zaandam.
