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Return: Holocaust Survivors and Dutch Anti-Semitism
While the Netherlands had often been thought of as a champion of racial and ethnic tolerance before and during the Second World War, more than 75% of Dutch Jews were killed and those returning after the war were met with subtle but tough anti-Jewish sentiments as they tried to reclaim their former lives. For most survivors, the negative reactions were unexpected and shocking. Before the war, Dutch Jews had become part of the fabric of Dutch life and society, so the obstacles they faced upon their return were particularly painful and difficult to handle. The sobering picture presented in this book, based on research in archives, survivor's memoirs, and interviews with survivors, examines and chronicles the experiences of repatriated Jews in the Netherlands and sheds light on the continuing uneasiness and sensitivities between Jews and non-Jews there today.
In the aftermath of the Holocaust, survivors returned to their home countries not knowing what to expect. In the Netherlands, considered a more tolerant nation, returnees wondered how they would be received by their neighbors; what had happened to their homes, their businesses, and their possessions; and whether or not they would be welcomed back to their jobs or their schools. The answers to many of these questions are now more important than ever, as claims for restitution continue to be made. Hondius shows that survivors returning to the Netherlands were met with a revival in anti-Semitism around the issue of liberation and that many were forced to create two memories of the time: one around the rejoicing and displays of triumph that took place in public and the other around the secret discrimination and cruelty, dealt subtly, in the private arenas of everyday life. The blinding effect of a long history of generally good Jewish/non-Jewish relations turns out to be a most tragic aspect of the history of the Holocaust and the Netherlands.
In the aftermath of the Holocaust, survivors returned to their home countries not knowing what to expect. In the Netherlands, considered a more tolerant nation, returnees wondered how they would be received by their neighbors; what had happened to their homes, their businesses, and their possessions; and whether or not they would be welcomed back to their jobs or their schools. The answers to many of these questions are now more important than ever, as claims for restitution continue to be made. Hondius shows that survivors returning to the Netherlands were met with a revival in anti-Semitism around the issue of liberation and that many were forced to create two memories of the time: one around the rejoicing and displays of triumph that took place in public and the other around the secret discrimination and cruelty, dealt subtly, in the private arenas of everyday life. The blinding effect of a long history of generally good Jewish/non-Jewish relations turns out to be a most tragic aspect of the history of the Holocaust and the Netherlands.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 16, 2018
Tragedies and Verities
Of the 110,000 Dutch Jews who were rounded up and deported from the Netherlands only 5000 returned - 1150 from Auschwitz, 1800 from Bergen-Belson, 1500 from Thereisenstadt, a few hundred from Ravensbruck, and the rest from various others.
It's hard to imagine the enormity of the impact of this on the survivors. Whereas others counted their dead, the Jews counted the living. In all countries under Nazi domination 93% of all Jewish children were slaughtered.
Much has been written about the fate of Jews during the war. Little has been written in book form about the immediate aftermath and the DP camps. Dienke Hondius' case study of Holland pulls back that curtain and examines the relationship between Jews and non-Jews immediately before and after the Nazi occupation.
Some of the findings are disturbing. While the Dutch were sympathetic towards the plight of the Jews there were undercurrents of prejudice and disassociation. Leading up to the war, German antisemitism was discussed, but viewed only as an aberrant side effect of capitalism. Amsterdam, being the European major port on the Atlantic, was a choke-point for Jews rendered stateless seeking transit. German Jews in flight were regarded suspicion - certainly not a unique reaction - Jewish refugees in England, Canada and Australia were treated similarly with incarceration. The cost of construction of Westerbrook as a transit camp (which became a deportation/concentration camp under the Germans) was offloaded on the Jewish community before the war, and on Jewish funds stolen by the Nazis during and after the war, in spite of the fact that the camp was used not only to house displaced persons but German POWs.
After the war there were calls to limit Jewish participation in the professions. One proposed law asked that children who's Jewish parents had left them with others be deemed to have abandoned them In spite of the fact that much of the Jewish community infrastructure had been destroyed along with its membership there were strong feelings that Jews should not be treated differently than others. Jews were advised not to be conspicuous, pushy and to be grateful. Those who returned to their homes found the premises had been looted, not surprising in a situation where doors and interior framework had also been taken for needed firewood. Many Dutch were surprised that their former neighbours had returned and refused to turn over good or businesses that had been left in safe keeping with others. I. Querido was partner in a metal fabricating plant that was simply taken over. E. Polack was a member of Parliament for Holland North. There being no intervening election so he re-assumed his seat. Two leading papers expressed dismay that he would do so, having deemed that there was no compelling reason for him to have abandoned his country.
I liked the book because it fairly laid out the ethical and social strains of a country in the direct aftermath of the War. Food and clothing were scarce and organizational structure for border checkpoints, screening and assistance for returnees was often haphazardly implemented by local volunteers. There was a strong demand for equality of treatment for all, the exception being resistance fighters were actively given preference.
Yet Hondius also points out that for those who's family had been killed and community and support structures destroyed, equal treatment became actual discrimination. Sympathy did not translate into empathy. In spite of history, or perhaps because of it, a large sector still viewed Jews as the other.
Recommended, but as the previous reviewer noted, a bit on the expensive side for its size. The binding is high quality. Have your library order a copy.
Of the 110,000 Dutch Jews who were rounded up and deported from the Netherlands only 5000 returned - 1150 from Auschwitz, 1800 from Bergen-Belson, 1500 from Thereisenstadt, a few hundred from Ravensbruck, and the rest from various others.
It's hard to imagine the enormity of the impact of this on the survivors. Whereas others counted their dead, the Jews counted the living. In all countries under Nazi domination 93% of all Jewish children were slaughtered.
Much has been written about the fate of Jews during the war. Little has been written in book form about the immediate aftermath and the DP camps. Dienke Hondius' case study of Holland pulls back that curtain and examines the relationship between Jews and non-Jews immediately before and after the Nazi occupation.
Some of the findings are disturbing. While the Dutch were sympathetic towards the plight of the Jews there were undercurrents of prejudice and disassociation. Leading up to the war, German antisemitism was discussed, but viewed only as an aberrant side effect of capitalism. Amsterdam, being the European major port on the Atlantic, was a choke-point for Jews rendered stateless seeking transit. German Jews in flight were regarded suspicion - certainly not a unique reaction - Jewish refugees in England, Canada and Australia were treated similarly with incarceration. The cost of construction of Westerbrook as a transit camp (which became a deportation/concentration camp under the Germans) was offloaded on the Jewish community before the war, and on Jewish funds stolen by the Nazis during and after the war, in spite of the fact that the camp was used not only to house displaced persons but German POWs.
After the war there were calls to limit Jewish participation in the professions. One proposed law asked that children who's Jewish parents had left them with others be deemed to have abandoned them In spite of the fact that much of the Jewish community infrastructure had been destroyed along with its membership there were strong feelings that Jews should not be treated differently than others. Jews were advised not to be conspicuous, pushy and to be grateful. Those who returned to their homes found the premises had been looted, not surprising in a situation where doors and interior framework had also been taken for needed firewood. Many Dutch were surprised that their former neighbours had returned and refused to turn over good or businesses that had been left in safe keeping with others. I. Querido was partner in a metal fabricating plant that was simply taken over. E. Polack was a member of Parliament for Holland North. There being no intervening election so he re-assumed his seat. Two leading papers expressed dismay that he would do so, having deemed that there was no compelling reason for him to have abandoned his country.
I liked the book because it fairly laid out the ethical and social strains of a country in the direct aftermath of the War. Food and clothing were scarce and organizational structure for border checkpoints, screening and assistance for returnees was often haphazardly implemented by local volunteers. There was a strong demand for equality of treatment for all, the exception being resistance fighters were actively given preference.
Yet Hondius also points out that for those who's family had been killed and community and support structures destroyed, equal treatment became actual discrimination. Sympathy did not translate into empathy. In spite of history, or perhaps because of it, a large sector still viewed Jews as the other.
Recommended, but as the previous reviewer noted, a bit on the expensive side for its size. The binding is high quality. Have your library order a copy.
May 7, 2013
Love this book so much. So many sources say that post-war relations between the Dutch and surviving Jews were "friendly." This is the first major work that looks at the rampant anti-Semitism and indifference that existed upon the return of the Jews from concentration camps despite the relatively high levels of Jewish assimilation and tolerance before World War II. Hondius includes lots of primary source material, including chilling evidence directly from the Dutch during this period. Hondius doesn't spell out why there was such a switch or pinpoint what it was exactly that happened to change popular opinion, but makes it clear that a variety of political, economic, and ideological changes happened in the Netherlands between 1940 and 1945 so even though the outcome seems shocking for such a short period of time, we see just how quickly the phenomenon of war can completely change a society.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews