Audrey Hepburn in Arnhem: Discover the City Where Her Story Began
When you think of Audrey Hepburn, you probably think of Hollywood, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday and her iconic style. But did you know that this world-famous actress spent an important part of her childhood in Arnhem?
Audrey Hepburn lived in Arnhem for several years as a child. She grew up here during one of the most turbulent periods in Dutch history: the Second World War. Her years in Arnhem had a lasting influence on her life and became an important part of her childhood story.
Today, you can still visit several places in Arnhem connected to Audrey and her family.
Audrey Hepburn and Arnhem
Audrey Hepburn was born on 4 May 1929 in Brussels as Audrey Kathleen Ruston. Her mother, Baroness Ella van Heemstra, was Dutch. In 1937, Ella moved to the Netherlands with Audrey and her family.
The family came to Arnhem, where Audrey’s grandfather, Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra, had previously been mayor of the city. The family initially stayed near Huis Zypendaal, after which Audrey and her mother lived at several different addresses in Arnhem.
In Arnhem, Audrey experienced not only the everyday life of a young girl growing up, but also the growing threat of war.
Audrey’s childhood in Arnhem
Audrey was still a child when she came to Arnhem. During these years, she developed a great love for ballet and dancing.
In 1940, she attended a performance by the famous Sadler’s Wells Ballet in Arnhem. It was a remarkable event, because the following day Germany invaded the Netherlands and the occupation began.
As the war progressed, life in Arnhem became increasingly difficult. Food became scarce and Audrey could not always continue her ballet lessons. Nevertheless, dancing remained an important part of her life.
During the war, she even performed at private cultural evenings. She used the name Edda van Heemstra, partly to make her English-sounding surname less conspicuous during the German occupation.
The war would have a profound impact on Audrey and her family. A family member, Otto van Limburg Stirum, was executed by the Germans in retaliation for a resistance action with which he was not involved.
Audrey Hepburn and the Battle of Arnhem
In September 1944, the war literally reached Arnhem.
During the Battle of Arnhem, from 17 to 26 September 1944, heavy fighting took place in Arnhem and the surrounding area. Audrey and her family had by then moved to nearby Velp.
The fighting had a devastating impact on the city. Arnhem was heavily damaged and around 90,000 residents were forced to leave their homes.
This period was also deeply traumatic for Audrey. During the final months of the war, conditions became increasingly difficult. Food was extremely scarce and the population suffered under the occupation.
Audrey would later speak about the hunger and hardship she experienced as a child during the war. These experiences stayed with her for the rest of her life.
The end of the war
Arnhem was liberated by Allied forces in April 1945.
On 5 May 1945, one day after Audrey’s sixteenth birthday, the German occupation of the Netherlands officially came to an end. For Audrey, this marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
After the war, her mother decided that Audrey should further develop her talent for ballet. Together they moved to Amsterdam, where Audrey studied with the renowned ballet teacher Sonia Gaskell.
Eventually, Audrey would partly leave her dream of becoming a ballet dancer behind and pursue a career as an actress. The rest is history.
From Hollywood star to UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Audrey Hepburn became one of the world’s most famous and beloved actresses.
But before she became world-famous, she was a young girl walking the streets of Arnhem.
What can you still discover about Audrey Hepburn in Arnhem?
Although Arnhem has changed considerably since the war, several places connected to Audrey Hepburn and her family can still be visited today.
During a walk through Arnhem, you can discover more about:
- 🏠 the different homes where Audrey and her family lived;
- 🌳 Park Sonsbeek and the surroundings where Audrey spent time;
- 🏡 Huis Zypendaal and the Van Heemstra family;
- 💃 Audrey’s love of ballet and her early years as a dancer;
- 🕊️ her life during the German occupation;
- ⚔️ the impact of the Battle of Arnhem on her life and the city;
- 🎭 the cultural activities Audrey took part in during the war.
The fascinating thing about Audrey Hepburn’s story in Arnhem is that it is not simply the story of a famous movie star. Above all, it is the story of a young girl who spent her childhood during a time of war and occupation.
Discover Audrey Hepburn in Arnhem with ArnhemLife
Would you like to learn more about Audrey Hepburn and her time in Arnhem? ArnhemLife offers several ways to follow in Audrey Hepburn’s footsteps.
🚶 Audrey Hepburn Walking Tour with a Private Guide
During our Audrey Hepburn walking tour with a private guide, you discover Arnhem through the eyes of young Audrey.
The private walking tour takes you through Arnhem’s historic city centre, the Burgemeesterswijk and the green surroundings of Park Sonsbeek. Along the way, your local guide tells you about Audrey’s childhood, her family and the remarkable events that took place during her years in Arnhem.
You will discover not only the well-known stories, but also lesser-known details about Audrey and her family.
The tour lasts approximately 3 hours and is available as a private tour for your own group. Tours can be provided in Dutch, English or German.
🚶♀️ AUDREY HEPBURN SELF-GUIDED WALKING ROUTE
Would you rather explore Arnhem independently?
With our Audrey Hepburn self-guided walking route, you can discover Arnhem at your own pace. The route is approximately 7.5 kilometres long and takes around 2.5 hours.
You start at Arnhem Central Station and walk through the Burgemeesterswijk and Park Sonsbeek, past Huis Zypendaal and several locations connected to Audrey and her family. The route ends at Audrey Hepburnplein in the city centre.
Along the way, you will also learn more about the Battle of Arnhem and the Second World War, making this route not only a story about Audrey, but also about the city in which she grew up.
🚲 Discover Audrey Hepburn by Bike
Would you like to combine Audrey Hepburn’s story with some of Arnhem’s other important stories?
Our 3-hour “Audrey, War & Highlights” cycling tour is a great option. During this tour, you discover Arnhem from three different perspectives: the story of Audrey Hepburn, the history of the Battle of Arnhem and the city’s most important sights.
The cycling tour is led by a local guide and is suitable for groups of up to 18 people. Participants need to bring their own bicycles.
Why discover Audrey Hepburn in Arnhem?
For many visitors, it comes as a surprise to learn that this world-famous actress spent part of her childhood in Arnhem.
Visiting the places connected to her childhood gives her life story a completely different dimension. You discover not only the Audrey Hepburn of Hollywood, but also Audrey as a young girl, a dancer and a child growing up during the Second World War.
And that is exactly what makes Arnhem so special.
Would you like to discover Arnhem through the story of Audrey Hepburn?
Choose a guided walking tour, explore independently with our self-guided route, or discover Audrey’s story by bike.
👉 Discover all Audrey Hepburn tours with ArnhemLife or contact us at info@arnhemlife.nl.
Audrey Hepburn And The Battle Of Arnhem
Before the Battle of Arnhem Audrey and her family moved to nearby town Velp. This battle was the largest battle in the Netherlands during WW2. It was fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel, and the surrounding countryside from 17 till 26 September 1944.
English troops came to the Arnhem area by gliders, they had to hold the Rhinebridge from the Germans, but it turned out to be a disaster (read more about the Battle of Arnhem here).
This lead to the destruction of Arnhem, and evacuation of 90 thousand Arnhem inhabitants.
In March 1945 the Germans recruited young women to work in the soldier’s kitchens. Audrey is forced to hide in ter home for a month.
In April 1945 the allied forces liberated Arnhem. One day after her sixteenth birthday, on May 5th, the German surrender is a fact. To her delight, her half-brothers also return from the German labor camps.
After the war, mother Ella decided that Audrey should further develop her ballet talent.
Ella and Audrey decide to go to Amsterdam so that Audrey could take lessons with the absolute ballet top: Sonia Gaskell. With the move to Amsterdam, the Arnhem period of Audrey Hepburn comes to an end.
