Book Description

Jurrie Reiding studied at Leiden University, graduated in organic chemistry and biochemistry (cum laude), and obtained his PhD at the same university for a study in physical organic chemistry (radical chain processes). For many years, he gave lessons at pre-university schools and wrote textbooks. For some years he was in the employ of Utrecht University (chemistry didactics). Between 1987 and 1997 he lectured at universities in Nicaragua (environmental chemistry) and Mozambique (basic chemistry and bio-organic chemistry). From 1970 to 1977 he was on the board of the Institute for Political and Social Research (IPSO) in Amsterdam, affiliated with the Communist Party of the Netherlands. The book deals, essentially, with an untold history of Dutch collaboration during the German occupation (1940-1945). Principally, the ruling class and its political institutions must be held accountable for this collaboration. Immediately after the defeat of the Dutch army in May 1940, the Dutch Queen and the ministers went into exile in London, while the rest of the ministries, headed by the Secretaries-General, remained in The Hague. Officially, the Government-in-exile joined the Allied Forces, but at the same time it allowed the administration in The Hague to establish cordial relations with the occupier, in order to safeguard a proper place for the Netherlands in the “New Europe” in case of a German victory. This policy of ‘backing two horses’ had to be abandoned at the turning of the year 1942/1943, when the prospect of an Allied victory began to dawn. Unfortunately, at that time a substantial part of the Dutch Jewish citizens had already been deported to the German extermination camps, effectively supported by the Dutch administration in The Hague. The ‘London’ Government did not make any attempt to call its subordinates in The Hague to order and made itself an accomplice in genocide.