World

Names of 425,000 Dutch WWII collaborators published

By AAP Newswire

Jan 3, 2025

A World War II monument at Amsterdam's central Dam square. — A World War II monument in the Netherlands where names of Nazi collaborators have been published. -AP

The names of some 425,000 suspected collaborators with the Nazi occupiers of the Netherlands during World War II have been controversially published by the Dutch authorities.

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Amid concerns from descendants of the alleged collaborators, as well as relatives of the victims, it was initially decided to only make partial information on each person accessible online.

For the time being, complete files including details of alleged crimes committed can only be viewed in the National Archives in The Hague.

For decades, a stigma has surrounded people in the Netherlands who were suspected of having supported and assisted the invading German forces.

A recent survey revealed that a fifth of Dutch people would still rather not have the descendants of a collaborator in a public office, such as mayor or member of parliament, the NOS public broadcaster reported.

According to the survey, the children and grandchildren of collaborators often still suffer because of their family history.

Victims and perpetrators now fear that opening the archives will also reopen poorly healed wounds.

The newly opened register of names provides personal details and the place of residence of those concerned, as well as details of which police stations and courts dealt with their cases.

Also listed are the numbers of the files detailing what the persons are specifically accused of, which can be viewed in the National Archives.