Transcript FROM ISOLATION TO DEPORTATION

FROM ISOLATION TO
DEPORTATION
THE DESTRUCTION OF DUTCH JEWRY
One of the topics that keep intriguing students of the
Holocaust is the low survival rate of the Jews of the
Netherlands.
Survival rate of the Jews from the Netherlands
The Netherlands: of the 140.000 Jews elected to be killed, 27% survived.
Belgium:
of the 60.000 Jews elected to be killed, 60% survived.
France:
of the 320.000 Jews elected to be killed, 75% survived.
Explanation of the national differences in the survival
rates of the Jews from the Netherlands and other
West-European countries
The role of the German perpetrators
The role of the Dutch bureaucracy
The Dutch Queen and her Government
The Dutch population at large
The Judenrat
The role of the victims
Number of Jews and percentage of survivors per province
in the Netherlands
Groningen
4.708
Friesland
852
Drenthe
2.498
Overijsel
4.385
Gelderland
6.642
Utrecht
3.802
Noord-Holland
87.566
Zuid-Holland
25.648
Zeeland
174
Noord-Brabant 2.281
Limburg
1.441
22%
34%
20%
43%
39%
51%
27%
32%
56%
48%
49%
Jewish refugees from Germany
As Adolf Hitler came into power, many German Jews tried to
escape to the Netherlands and Belgium
These countries were unsure how to relate to these refugees,
although many refugees were accepted by both of the countries
Belgium was more tolerant than the
Netherlands
The policy of the Dutch authorities
before WWII was disastrous for the
Jews in the Netherlands
Lloyd hotel in Amsterdam
Jewish refugees from Germany
The Dutch policy regarding the refugees
Since 1933 there was no real policy
Because of the sudden big stream of refugees there
was a negative attitude from the side of the
Dutch authorities
1934-1938 very strict rules
1938 closure of the Dutch border
“A refugee will be treated as an unwanted element in the Dutch society and
therefore will be considered as a stranger, who has to be refused at the border
or inside our country has to be returned to the other side of the border”.
(C. Goseling, Roman Catholic Minister of Justice, May 1938; Archive Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
31)
Approximately between 17.000 till 25.000 refugees were allowed to enter the
Netherlands towards the end of 1938
Jewish refugees from Germany
Entry with passport and a lot of money was possible
till May 30th 1934
After May 30th 1934 no entry was possible, not even
with a passport or with a lot of money.
German Jewish refugees
did not have
rights and were
therefore dependant
on the willingness of
the Dutch police and
got a special treatment
Jewish refugees from Germany
Dec 5th 1938: The borders are closed
Government decided to set up 25 camps for the growing number of illegal refugees
Febr 23rd 1939:
Decision to set up one central camp: - financial reasons
- police
- the long-term housing for a large group
is immoral
- It was not possible for the refugees to
receive effective training and they could
not be made suitable for emigration,
argued Van Boeyen (Minister of Inner
Affairs)
Jewish refugees from Germany
Different political arguments for concentrating the
refugees in a ‘central’ camp
The argument was that public policy would be
compromised if the Jewish refugees from camp
Westerbork freedom would get a host family. This
required a minor amendment to be made for this to
proceed legally. The Aliens Act of 1918 was
amended so that it became possible for Justice for
legal refugees to intern.
On October 9, 1939 the first refugees
were housed in Westerbork, near
the German border.
Jewish refugees from Germany
A comparison of Dutch and Belgian refugee policy
Netherlands behaved very intolerant towards the
Jewish refugees. Although it was known that the
situation of Jews in Germany was extremely difficult,
Netherlands kept their borders closed. Belgium on
the other hand was a lot more humane refugee with
her.
Belgium allowed would-be immigrants because of
the economic interests of the country to stay, for the
Dutch government the financial resources of the
refugees did not play a role.
Jewish Council
Founded in 1941
Leaders: David Cohen and Abraham Asscher
The Jewish Council collaborated on several grounds with the German
occupiers:
They kept a file cabinet.
The composition of the lists of Jews who were sent on transport, done by
German officials. The Council decided who stayed. (usually temporary).
Joodsche Weekblad
They were involved in introducing
anti-Jewish measures such as
introducing the yellow star.
Queen Wilhelmina and the Government
Her Majesty departed one day before the capitulation to
England without her ministers to give any instructions.
Being in London the queen led the Dutch government in exile.
Only on May 14, the day of the capitulation, by Senior General
Winkelman announced to the Dutch people that their queen had
left the country.
With Queen Wilhelmina leaving on May 13, 1940 not only the
head of state but also the supreme authority, de facto and de
jure.
Many Dutch felt being abandoned.
Queen Wilhelmina and the Government
A day after the departure of the queen, the ministers went into
an armored fortress in Hoek van Holland. Only two ministers
stayed, M.P.L. Steenberghe of Economic Affairs and Dr. A.A.
van Rhijn of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Queen Wilhelmina and the Government
Now the Dutch government was in exile, Winkelman had to take over civil power.
Both the executive and the legislature were in General Winkelman ‘s hands
The policy was: we have to make life of the ‘enemies’.
“Don’t do stupid things” (General Winkelman to the Dutch Government in exile)
Unfortunately, constitutionally, a 'transfer' to a place outside the Dutch kingdom,
according to Article 21 of the Constitution is impossible and this led to an opening
where Hitler's lawyers immediately anticipated.
Had Queen Wilhelmina chosen to have its seat moved to an overseas territory, within
the kingdom of the Netherlands, that would be consistent with the Constitution, but
Wilhelmina found this not a good idea (climate)
Queen Wilhelmina and the Government
Refer to land war regulations in 1907, Wilhelmina remained
during the occupation the legal authority.
In accordance with the laws of war an occupying power is not
allowed to impose civilian rule over the occupied area when a
civil government is present.
This meant that all of Hitler's decrees, ordinances and decrees
were not valid.
Seyss-Inquart the Secretaries-General proposed to work
together.
After this, this proposal was discussed with
General Winkelman and the acquisition of
the civil administration by Seyss-Inquart
became a fact.
February Strike 1941
The police
J.H. Koerts, an inspector of the police from Groningen, felt that the occupiers
have to obey:
“In case the police man can’t, there is only one solution: leaving the police..”
There were instructions of the Dutch government from 1937 regarding attitude
of the police in case an enemy would attack the Netherlands.
Seyss-Inquart had a Verordnung established in May 1940 which provided
what role the police would take under the German occupation: "Preserving the
public peace”.
The Dutch police is under the supervision of the German police.
Compared to what the Dutch police was actually assigned this regulation was
very tactical.
Regarding the Holocaust, the Dutch police, as most of the officials in the
Netherlands, made life very easy for the Germans.
The police
Since August 6th 1942 there was a ‘Dutch police unit’ lead by Sybren Tulp
established in order to arrest Jews in Amsterdam..
In many cases were this the so-called Schalkhaarders: Dutch policemen with
.nazi outlook
The police
Round 1943 began to emerge resistance against the German policy. In
several places in the Netherlands the police refused to assist in rounding up
Jews. This resistance was fueled by the churches and the government in
London.
The police was obliged to all orders of the German police or soldiers simply to
follow.