Is there a dutch law that makes it compulsory for a foreigner to take a so called "integration course"?

By Johnny | September 21, 2009 3:10 PM

One the one hand, these questions appear to be daft and there seems to be good reason why he might not be able to answer them 'correctly' in his situation.

However, the other side of the coin is that after 20 years he should be able to speak pretty good Dutch and understand cultural concepts such as huursubsidie. I'm a native English speaker and after 2 years in NL I a virtually fluent in Dutch. Too many English speakers find excuses not to learn the language. I work for a major international company and we have plenty long term ex-pats who make only token efforts to learn Dutch. If they struggle a bit, then they just say it's impossible. They wouldn't get away with this in most other countries (say France!). In comparison to other languages, Dutch is not particularly difficult for English speakers to learn.

Suppose this man was a Moroccan, would people react the same way?

By simplastic | September 21, 2009 3:23 PM

I do not understand why looking for work via internet and opting for helping out on school trips are wrong answers. May be I am also not integrated yet!

By bimalesh | September 21, 2009 3:38 PM

It's about time people here started thinking outside the box and stop stereotyping both expats and immigrants.
And while they are at it...ditching the entire mess of an inbuggering system.

By CW | September 21, 2009 3:39 PM

I got that same letter. I'm leaving Holland.
I'm dead serious.
It's not worth the B.S. they keep coming up with.
This also sucks money out of us Americans.
I took my cash FROM their economy.
Closed my business... I have had it
It's not just this one incident, it's a total lack of respect and concern for the public.
When the old paint factory burned down a few months ago... I called my "stadsdeelkantoor" this fire was ALREADY burning for HOURS, I asked if we should leave our home because of the smoke... I was put on hold, shifted around. Finally the HEAD of the section for the environment came on the phone... and said (are you ready) "fire where is there a fire?" I GAVE UP ON HOLLAND THAT DAY

By goinggoingalmsotgone | September 21, 2009 3:44 PM

This is another example of how Dutch bureaucrats will blindly follow written rules without using any commmon sense.

As an American perminent resident for 10 years before returning to the U.S. I loved my stay, the Dutch people and I felt I was more "integrated" than many of my Dutch friends. At a time when The Netherlands needs a quality work force, regardless of nationality, once again those who chose to make the Netherlands their home ar being told "you will never be fully welcome".

By Mike Breen | September 21, 2009 4:36 PM

Outrageous.

Fingerprints obligatory stored on databases for a residence permit (or passport), compulsory "integration" courses, increasingly racist statements from government ministers.. The Netherlands today bears little resembalnce to the country it was just 10 years ago.

At best it is an exercise in time wasting, at worst it is a doctrine which the world hoped had vanished with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

By Andy | September 21, 2009 4:47 PM

I was told by Gemeente Heemstede that I MUST take the inbuggering exam within three years. When I mentioned the NT2-II Staatsexamen, she told me it no longer existed.
Are they getting pressure from up high to put bums in seats or face consequences?

By CW | September 21, 2009 4:51 PM

I just want to repeat what was already said by MB above because it happens to be very true and happens on a very regular basis .
This is another example of how Dutch bureaucrats will BLINDLY follow written rules without using any commmon sense.
JamesM

By James | September 21, 2009 5:33 PM

The Dutch integration course is boring. The photobook doesn't make much sense. Why not just give a grammar book?

To Simplastic, if this man was Moroccan, I doubt he would be treated the same way.

Let there be equal treatment in the criteria of who sits for the exam. Let it be based not on nationality but on skill, qualification and purpose. There are genuine people out there who won't come to Holland but for the love of their life, and yet it's such a complicated process.

Holland can be too flat a land, too dull in colour, too many rules unlike home...(this is just my opinion though, no offence)

It's possible to get away by not learning Dutch though as many Dutch speak English, but I suppose if you really want to start a life here permanently, it doesn't hurt to speak the language in order to make friends.

By Linlita | September 21, 2009 5:43 PM

Just to note, inburgering is only for non euro passport holders. Euros need to register within x months of arrival but it is a formality.

By NM | September 21, 2009 6:36 PM

The petty minded bureaucrats should just be grateful he's not trying to claim 'huursubsidie' unlike many thousands of others who know exactly what it is but contribute little else to the country.

By Swin | September 21, 2009 7:11 PM

Ok I'm confused now.
I came here in Oct. 2001 from America. I did not come here to learn a new language or culture. I came to be with my husband and start a life together. He had the better job so that is how we chose which country to live in. He said I wouldn't even have to learn Dutch. I ended up being told I HAD to take one from April, 2002-April, 2003 or leave the country. I was very upset and ended up going. It wasn't worth the strain on a new marriage to fight it. In the end, I'm glad I went and I can speak Dutch just fine. The issue for ME is people speaking English to me the second they detect you are a foreigner. I live in LIMBURG, not Amsterdam where that is common. I suppose they hear me speak English to our children and assume they need to speak English to me in stores, etc.

So my confusion in all this is wondering if I will be required to take another test of some sort. I do not plan to become a Dutch citizen.. ever. I got to finish the first course early as I was very pregnant by then and was doing well. I scored above what was needed to pass. You needed like level 1 and I got level 2 and I had only lived here for under 2 years. I would assume I would score much higher now.

If someone can let me know if there might be a chance of me being called for another test. I would not take it out of principle! I've done enough to live here!

By Laura | September 21, 2009 8:18 PM

Bureaucracy is just like that and in Japan it may be even worse.

But in the case of 'inburgering' the rules are so absurd. I think it is simply discriminatory especially against Americans and Japanese the majority of whom are not looking for work in the Dutch job circuit any way, while Europeans who hardly speak any Dutch do not have to follow this course simply because they come from the member states of the EU.

As much as 20% of the high school graduates born and grew up here have problems finding a job, while the civil servants who insist on this 'inburgering' say that the course will help us immigrants find a job. But the level of Dutch you learn in this course is of an elementary school level. It is therefore very questionable that this course will help us old settlers in any way. This kind of money can be better spent elsewhere (reschooling for the unemployed perhaps)

I am a Japanese and was also recently ordered by the Gemeente Heemstede to take the integration course after 20 years of staying here, while I speak only Dutch at home with my (Dutch) partner and children. At the very beginning of my stay here I obtained a bookkeeping diploma (mbo level) and KLM advance course diploma (both in Dutch) but I could not convince the mayor of the municipality that I had sufficient linguistic capacity.

I have been paying taxes all these years to the Dutch government and this is what I get. I had no intention to waste my time in following the course so I just went to take the NT2 Staatsexamen and got the diploma right away.

The most scandalous part of this farce is that if you apply for and obtain the Dutch nationality you don't have to take this infamous integration course, as if obtaining the nationality automatically gives you the ability to speak the language and to learn their ways.

By Yukio | September 21, 2009 9:13 PM

Mind you, the "integration" law has spawn a whole industry. If school benches don't get filled, many will lose their businesses or their jobs...

In Nijmegen, it seems that the gemeente has always hired "import" brides to enforce the new "integration" law. When I first arrived, my case worker was a Vietnamese married to a Dutch. The civil servants who called me up recently to check if I am "integrated" all have foreign surnames and speak Dutch with an accent.

I suppose this might be a good thing. I understand that it's hard for marriage migrants to find desk jobs.

By Q | September 21, 2009 9:22 PM

I left holland 35 years ago because the rules were silly the red tape is a joke thank goodness I moved to Australia

By bert vandersteen | September 22, 2009 1:54 AM

The Netherlands bases all of it's ideas about integration on how well one knows how to suck up to the system. The fact that this person does not know what "huursubsidie" (rent subsidy) is, is because they have never wanted or needed to take it. Is not this the type of immigrant NL wants? All we hear about is complaints of immigrants sucking off the system. When one does not do this, they are told that they are wrong. Go ask a poor Dutchie if they know how to hide their money in off-shore tax havens (ala the Dutch royal family), and nobody will say they are not integrated. Stupid system, stupid ideas about integration, and exactly why many expats that live here want to leave!!!

By Quest | September 22, 2009 2:13 AM

this is a joke, well at least he can start writing comedy now.

By Hans | September 22, 2009 3:31 AM

As I said before, The Netherlands needs to be thrown out of Nato and thrown out of Nafta period! Boycott the Netherlands, hit them where the money is, where it really hurts! People from Norway, and Switzerland who are not EU member citizens, are not inburgering verplicht to live in this country. Also Any Citizen that is from an EU member state is not inburgering verplicht. I live near a Polish couple who have lived here over twenty years and can barely speak two sentences in correct Dutch! The whole inburgering law is discriminatory and senseless. It only makes people Hate the Netherlands and never want anything to do with this country once they have actually had a taste of Holland for what it really is, an xenophobic country with retarded politicians in power. USA and Canada should force Visas on Holland and force them to take an extremely hard integration test before being allowed a visa, give them a taste of their own medicine. I know of many Americans and Candians who have decided to leave because of the constant changes of their laws that override other existing laws.

By sandra | September 22, 2009 6:46 AM

Read this, http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/immigration-nl.html this article explains the Netherlands very well. Too bad they forget how many Nederlanders live outside of EU and USA and Canada can retaliate if they choose to. I strongly suggest all Americans and Canadians to write to and give details of your case to Fox News ASAP. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77538,00.html

By sandra | September 22, 2009 7:13 AM

ok, it's time everyone just chilled out a little and calmed down.

yes, some of us may think that the dutch requirements are a little bit much, but hey, it's their country, surely they can impose whatever requirements they like. and we all choose to live here so we should abide, and count ourselves lucky as it's a beautiful and amazing land.

the choice is pretty simple: if you don't like the rules here, then you probably shouldn't live here. if you don't like the bureaucracy, then you probably shouldn't live here. if you don't like dutch people, then you probably shouldn't live here. if you see embracing and learning another country's culture and language as an annoying chore rather than a beautiful challenge, then you probably shouldn't live here.

all i can say to people like goinggoingalmostgone (and all of the other anti-holland commenters that appear on this website) is: tot ziens

By mike berry | September 22, 2009 8:13 AM

The NT2-II Staatsexamen still exists, I'm currently doing it.
Anyway, don't blame the Dutch people for this stupid non-sense. The people are always nice, it is the politicians that fuck up the all thing.

By Rui | September 22, 2009 9:26 AM

"Don Seidenberg, who has an indefinite residency permit and speaks fluent Dutch".
He speaks fluent Dutch, so what is the problem??? There are many aspects of life in my own country i don't know, let alone the country of others, just because I never had to.
My sister-in-law llives in Holland since 1998 and I live here since 2007. She speaks fluent dutch, still, I had to teach her a few things about huursubsidie and other stuff that she did not know about because she never needed to, her husband is quite wealthy.

By Rui | September 22, 2009 9:36 AM

I think it is a shame that there is no dutch course for non EU. I am french and had to pay for dutch lessons !
In that particular case maybe the bureaucrats should open their mind !
@ Mike berry your comment reminds me of M.Sarkozy ! I have lived in many countries and it is not because we are expat that we are not allowed to critised the bureaucracy (it is a pain in all EU countries ! ) or things that do not make sense to us ! If you speak to Ducth people that find it stupid as well so why can't we ( as expat) say so ! Or is it that in your world nobody is allowed to talk !
but hey its a beautiful day enjoy it !

By Sanj | September 22, 2009 10:25 AM

Nobody is arguing they don´t want to learn the language. Most already know the language well, but are still forced to take the test regardless. A lot of EU citizens that have been living here for years and don´t speak the lanuage at all, are not obligated to do so. So this is a matter of discrimination and hypocrisy. of course Americans and Canadians are going to leave, this country is not worth the crap under their shoes to stay here! At the same time, USA and Canada have the same right to impose whatever laws they want onto the Dutch that live in their country and I say they should do the same to the Dutch, and also boycott the Netherlands, throw them out of Nato and Nafta!

By sandra | September 22, 2009 10:38 AM

This used to be an easier country to live and do business in, what happened? The politicians might want to consider a grandfather clause for anyone who has resided here more than ten years or has had an income over a certain level. But the Netherlands does seem headed down a dark road with it's curtailing of business and personal freedoms. It is caused I believe by fear. Fear of foreigners.
Even the closing of the cofffeeshops along the borders is to stop "drug tourists", or the foreigners. The Dutch don't feel marijuana is a problem, just those stoned foreigners. This sounds like fear and nationalism. And anyways everyone knows good friend always shares their marijuana with their neighbors.

By jimi hendrix | September 22, 2009 11:52 AM

Inburgering is intended to humiliate and pressure immigrants to leave/discourage new ones from coming in. If they can make a few extra bob from the "difficult" ones who persist in staying, all the better for the Dutch purse. It is not about integration. That is a lie told to preserve the myth of tolerance.

By J. | September 22, 2009 12:01 PM

Sandra, you do know that Holland is not in NAFTA, right?

By oluv | September 22, 2009 12:30 PM

Here's one for you as I am in the same situation!
I am an American citizen considered highly skilled working in the management and engineering roles for medical device manufactures with US based customers and markets. I have been working in the NL for the last 8 years straight with no breaks between employment and have never collected social benefits. Further I am married to a Dutch national (6 years +), have a dual-citizen son that was born here and we are home owners.

My point...there needs to be legislation drafted to allow exemptions based on circumstances, meaning those whom are proven to be well integrated should be exempt, while as those that are draining system resources it should be mandatory. They obviously have the time on there hands.

For those of you that do not know, here are the requirements as they were explained to me and the wife; NL classes for 9-18 months, 3 night per week, 2.5 hours per session, starting at 7 in the evening at my cost. Next 5 trips to Zwolle for 5 tests @ 81 euro’s each, again all my costs.

Now with a work schedule of 40+ hours per week, with 5 working days per week the government is taking 50% of my evening social time with my son who is just short of 3 years old. I find this unacceptable and refuse to agree with the program. We shall see what the penalties are, however I do intend to push the issue to the highest court possible and would encourage others whom are in similar circumstances to do the same. For us it’s a matter of family and about principle so its time to rock the boat and bring about change.

By Mr. P | September 22, 2009 12:30 PM

My view as an expat living here for over 30 years is as follows:

During the 70's, the Dutch economy was growing so fast that they literally ran out of manpower. They welcomed people from other countries with open arms to come and work here, but with no obligation to learn the Dutch language, or inbuggereing plans.

Later, during the 90's, they realized that they were running out of jobs for their own people, and turned the tables.

It now seems that the Dutch government's plan is to get rid of as many immigrant workers as possible. This is what the real Inbuggering" law is about. It should be called the "Bugger-off-back-to-your-own-country" law.

During the end of the 70's you could start a different job on everyday of the week and the Dutch were very hospitable to anyone speaking English.

Either the Dutch government needs a new think-tank, or the Dutch need a better government with more insight and without a racist attitude...

I learned to speak Dutch because I wanted to integrate, and out of my own free will.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink."

By stevie | September 22, 2009 1:04 PM

Sanj, if you ask for taking inburgering course, no one will say no to you for the Dutch language class and instead of paying a few hundreds of euros for private lessons, you will pay less. Ask the municipality or whom else and they will grant it.

By eva | September 22, 2009 1:26 PM

I am an American living in Holland, and I am not fluent in Dutch.I also hold a indefinte residency permit( have been here for 10 yrs ), I am just waiting for them to throw me out of the country for not being GOOD ENOUGH..because I have a speech impediment.Dutch are known to sweep disabled people into the canals :-p no services for the disabled so how the heck can some one become integrated? Met a deaf gal she said she was not even encouraged to go thru imburgering, due to the goverment not having anyone to teach some one who already had an education and a work history, they prefered to work with deaf people coming from a 3rd world country with no education??? Make sense to a ny one ????

By judee | September 22, 2009 3:00 PM

So, basically he is told that he does not understand how can accept a subsidy, would volunteer, but only for what he chose and find a new job on this own terms, rather than take civil servant's time, he does not understand 'the system'!
Perhaps it has been done, but what about the concept of asking native Dutchmen these questions and compare results?
Gee, for some reason I would not care to share my experiences.

By bill | September 22, 2009 6:28 PM

Well I'm an American and have been living here for 22 years, and I have had several different
Dutch class's so my Dutch is pretty good, not to mention I have four daughters and one grandson here that I pretty much only speak Dutch to.
But after 22 years the exact same thing has happened to me! I received a letter that I will need to do the inburgerings exam!
When I said I have had many classes in Dutch they gave me till the end of the week to prove it with my diplomas!! Well I can tell you my diplomas were buried in storage and have been there for years, so I couldn't come up with the in time, now I have to take the class.
Oh BTW... I had to help the woman who evaluated me with her Dutch, she was Moroccan.

By Frank Shemonek | September 22, 2009 7:36 PM

I am a Dutch guy married to an American woman. I address those people that moved from the US to Holland and have stayed here for a longer or shorter period.

I feel your frustration. Actually I am as frustrated with the whole system as much as you are, especially since "inburgeringscursus" right now is more about "how to...?" rather than language. We have a friend who's from the US as well and I am teaching her language skills that she doesn't get during the immigration course.

I would like to explain to you (Americans) that the Administration in America is as frustrating. With all policies that have been changed and enforced, traveling to America to visit my wife's family is a pain. If you read up Dutch articles about these policies, you actually will read the same frustration from Dutch people towards America. CBP in the US is the 'door' to the USA. In general I find them very unfriendly and it gives me a feeling of being unwelcome in the US. Fortunately after passing CBP I find myself very welcomed by the friendly American citizens.

What I am saying is this: there is always things about a country that you don't like. The US has eight years of the Bush Administration behind them and I can tell you that his Administration has caused a lot of harm worldwide. The US is not Holy, either. I don't think that a lot of Americans know the regulations for immigration into the US. One of the regulations is that any guy (not women!) aged between 16 and 65 must go to all the municipalities that he lived in in the country of origin to get an 'order of good behavior', have that translated in English and then go to the courts (plural!!) of all these municipalities to get them signed off with an apostille. That is not to file for an American visa. That is actually for a request to be eligible to file for a visa. All this in the light of the fight against terrorism. What I am trying to say is: every country has reasons for making it hard to immigrate into a country.

I can explain some regulations and decisions that we have here in The Netherlands. Other regulations or rules are (even) beyond me and make no sense at all. I would like to explain one thing, though. For Americans (and a few other nations) The Netherlands has tried to 'smooth' the way a little more. Citizens from these countries are actually exempted. They are exempted from taking a test in their own country before they are actually allowed to travel into The Netherlands. After the test they get a short stay visa first and in The Netherlands eventually they have to go through more paperwork to get the actual residence permit. I understand that this might not really help you to understand better, yet I hope that it shows that the Dutch Government is trying to differ a bit.

I hope this helps a little bit.

By Mickel | September 22, 2009 7:45 PM

I am entitled for "inburgering", but my city hall doesnt pay me the course or so...yet, I MUST DO. Luckly, I do want to learn the language, but when it becomes a "compulsory integration course" that was first only meant to a "group" of people coming from certain countries, it turns into a (at least) "useless" thing! I am very sorry for the American in the story, but if we all have to follow the laws and if it is now finally the same for all, we also should start publishing all the bad experiences lived by the Moroccan and so on...
Xpats and immigrants..we should stop with those terms...

By S.S.S | September 22, 2009 9:41 PM

Americans, contact this lawyer, he is very good! He is that lawyer to take on cases like this and is reasonable in price. Jeremy Bierbach was born in USA, and naturalized here and he knows the EU laws and international laws very well and knows what the Dutch can and can´t get away with concerning international treaties and laws. Also, if you call him and hire him, you wont be the only Americans stepping up the plate to fight the discriminating integration law. The government here is openly violating international treaties that the EU signed onto. Especially for those people who have already a permanent residence permit and then to be asked to do the integration test is an extreme violation of your rights. Get ahold of Jeremy. He comes from a family of lawyers. His father is also a well known lawyer in the United States and Jeremy is going to be well known here in Eu if this happens to reach the highest court and embarrass the hell out of some dumb politicians. jbierbach@avocadolegal.nl

By sandra | September 23, 2009 7:19 AM

Mickel, thank you for explaining the USA immigration laws. I think I have a better understanding. Hopefully with Obama in power, he will undue a lot of the damage that Bush has caused many people.

By sandra | September 23, 2009 9:14 AM

s.s.s
I know I addressed my posts to all Americans, but I also mean all non EU member state citizens, so of course Moroccans and other nationalities should also voice their bad experiences and are also welcome to call this lawyer and hire him if they too feel violated and discriminated against by this law. To the Moroccan Dutch out there, you should meet Moroccan Americans online and get support. I find it very interesting that in the USA, there is no reports of crimes by Moroccan Americans or their ethinic background constantly brought up in the news and portrayed as the foreigner even if they were born in the USA. They are treated as just American in the USA. As a matter of fact, Americans with Turkish backgrounds are never mentioned in the news either how can it be that in the Netherlands they are the cause of all problems But not in USA ?

Nice site on American people with a Moroccan background. http://moroccancommunitycenter.net/

By sandra | September 23, 2009 1:36 PM

@Sandra, 23-sep-09, 1:36pm

"How can it be thatt in the Netherlands they are the cause of all problems, but not in the USA?"

Sandra, the way Moroccans are being treated by some people/groups in The Netherlands is pretty much the same thing that USA has with Mexican immigrants. If you (still) have influence on the US Government, I urge you to voice your concerns. The US has a MAJOR BIG problem with gang wars (ever heard of MS13??). The US has tried to deport these gang members to their own country, which actually created more harm, because of these gang activities spreading to those countries, as well and not really solving anything in the US.

I am very worried over this, because I can see something similar happening in the future if Geert Wilders' influence increases. If you think The Netherlands has problems now, think again! The solution to this thread is that the Dutch Government really, really starts to work with Moroccan (and Turkish) people with influence to keep everything smooth.

By Mickel | September 23, 2009 4:00 PM

A sprinkling of other ethnicities, cultures, traditions, even religions can add some zest to the 'soup'. But an intentional immigration policy of diversity for the sake of difference is mindless. The whole concept of nationhood is built around commonality and kinship.
Don't think immigration has consequences? Just ask the American Indian.

By Ron Slade Sr. | September 24, 2009 4:35 AM

Mickel , I am not saying USA doesn´t have it´s problems. With over 307 million population of people, not counting illegal immigrants, an out of control Mexican border with drug warlords coming across the borders, I do not think you can even compare USA situation with the Netherlands 17 million people with a handful of hoodlums that need better parenting to take them off the streets. With the first black president in USA history, it shows that the USA wants change and is doing it´s best despite populists republicans that are much like Wilders. Republicans in the USA are always trying to do everything they can by blocking Obama and blocking the democrats of wanting to change. With a new generation of a new American future, The old capitalism greed, and racism that started from Gop party republicans, what Democrats call the old boys tea party club in America, needs to die out of old age before the world can really see any real change and learn to change old ways. The new dawn of Americans with it´s mixed culture, not just the old America with White Europeans, is not going to tolerate it anymore US AND THEM. America is no longer just for the European whites that use to rule the land they stole from the Indians. Now every American with all types of ethnic backgrounds has a say on how to run their country. The problem with the Netherlands is, you have a government that is pro republican types of far right wing parties that feed on fear to win votes. After world war 2 and the holocaust, Europe is in no position to allow itself to go backwards and risk another such horrible tragedy as in the past. The Netherlands needs to wake up and look at what they are doing because they cannot allow itself to go the old habits of hate US AND THEM while pretending to be a tolerant country outside of Europe. This piece of history You can find on this link. http://www.jcpa.org/jl/vp412.htm The myth that the great majority of the Dutch people had a highly positive attitude toward the Jews during World War II, identified with their suffering, and took risks to help them has gradually been unmasked in The Netherlands itself over the past decades. The historian Nanda van der Zee summed this up in 1997: "The vain national self-image of the most tolerant people on earth, which had assisted its Jewish fellow-citizens so 'charitably,' was corroded in the 1960s when another generation born after the war started to ask questions."

Israeli historian Joel Fishman has also refuted a follow-up myth. He has referred to the treatment of the Dutch Jews in the postwar years by the country's democratically chosen government. The internationally known Dutch political scientist Arent Lijphart wrote that Holland "has no minorities that are disfranchised, deprived of their civil liberties, or subject to systematic discrimination." Fishman has retorted that Lijphart's statement could only be true if "the Jews in The Netherlands counted for absolutely nothing, and their history was of no consequence."

Internationally, the benign Dutch war image has held on for over fifty years. In its introduction to The Netherlands, the 1999 Jewish Chronicle Travel Guide still writes: "the Germans transported 100,000 [Jews] to death camps in Poland, but the local population tended to behave sympathetically towards their Jewish neighbors, hiding many."

Israel, where at least the authorities should know better, is no exception. One former Israeli ambassador to The Netherlands told this author that he regularly corrected draft speeches of visiting high-ranking Israeli politicians, to prevent them from thanking theDutch for their "extraordinary efforts" for the Jews during World War II without mentioning the substantial collaboration with the Nazis.

There were no extermination camps in The Netherlands, and the Dutch did not actively participate in the killing of Jews. The mass atrocities, for which Germany and so many other European nations supplied willing executors, did not take place on Dutch soil. Few people, however, would consider this itself a sign of great humanity.

Another piece. Eichmann's Pleasure
Since The Netherlands was well-administered and well-documented, it was relatively easy to round up the Jews. Orders were given by the occupiers and executed by the Dutch authorities. Yet another reason sometimes given for the high Jewish death-toll is that The Netherlands is a small and flat country in which it is more difficult to hide than in Belgium or France. This is a weak argument since, in the later war years, many hiding places were found for Dutch workers who had been called up for labor service in Germany.

After the flight of the Queen and the government, the highest remaining authorities in The Netherlands were the secretaries-general of the ministries, the senior ranking civil servants. These officials--in an inferior position vis-a-vis the German occupiers--were out of their depth, and helped to put the Dutch bureaucratic and institutional apparatus at the disposal of the occupiers. This greatly facilitated the deportation of the Dutch Jews after their property had been systematically looted.

In their preparations for the extermination of the Jews living in The Netherlands, the Germans could count on the assistance of the greater part of the Dutch administrative infrastructure. The occupiers had to employ only a relatively limited number of their own. Dutch policemen rounded up the families to be sent to their deaths in Eastern Europe. Trains of the Dutch railways staffed by Dutch employees transported the Jews to camps in The Netherlands which were transit points to Auschwitz, Sobibor, and other death camps. Van der Zee writes that with respect to Dutch collaboration, Eichmann later said "The transports run so smoothly that it is a pleasure to see."

Well before the deportations, the systematic looting of Jewish properties had begun. For instance, on German orders, the Dutch banks sent out forms to Jewish clients enabling the transfer of their deposits to LIRO, the "looting bank" instituted by the Germans to expropriate money from the Jews. Many Amsterdam stock market traders made good profits on the sale of shares and bonds taken from the Jews.

Other respectable Dutch citizens just "accommodated" themselves. Jacques Presser, a Jewish historian who wrote the official history of the persecution of Dutch Jewry during World War II, was interviewed shortly before his death in 1970 by filmmaker Philo Bregstein. Presser said that when he was dismissed as a high school teacher during the war, what affected him even more than the dismissal was the name of the person who had signed the dismissal letter: "That was a man who then and years after the war--I believe even justifiably so--had a reputation of total rectitude. I could only relate it to my general situation as a Jew, and was aware that, within the context of the interests at play, I was a dispensable piece of small change."

By sandra | September 24, 2009 8:43 AM

Big Brother is alive and well...and living in Holland! It's unbelievable how repressive life in that country has become. Its inhabitants can't make a move without the permission of one or another bureaucrat: personal freedom has become virtually non-existent. And it's only going to get worse!

By Rick | September 24, 2009 8:59 PM

If we all communcated via Sign Language how simple this country & world would be. It was stated not so long ago, Amsterdam would accept English as it's second Language - well it would appear to me - that the Dutch need to be better integrated themselves & learn English. This supposed integration course is an absolute insult to all ethnics.

By Wiemer | September 25, 2009 10:23 AM