Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Sunday apologized for the first time
on behalf of the government for the war-time persecution of Jews, saying
little was done to protect them from the atrocities committed by Nazi
Germany.
"Since the last survivors are still among us, I apologize today in the name of the government for what the authorities did at that time," Rutte said. "Our government did not act as the guardian of justice and security."
Of the 140,000 Jews living in the Netherlands at the time, only 38,000 survived World War II. However, authorities never recognized their own role in facilitating the persecution of Jews by Nazi Germany.
Note EU-Digest: Was this apology by the Dutch PM a sincere gesture or more of a political P.R. statement? The Dutch Government at the time of the occupation, was one which was established by, and collaborating with the Nazi's, they obviously would or could do very little in stopping the atrocities committed by the Nazi's. This in contrast to the Dutch resistance forces, which fiercely attacked the Nazi occupiers in the Netherlands throughout the war.
Read more at: Netherlands apologizes for WWII persecution of Jews for first time | News | DW | 26.01.2020
"Since the last survivors are still among us, I apologize today in the name of the government for what the authorities did at that time," Rutte said. "Our government did not act as the guardian of justice and security."
Of the 140,000 Jews living in the Netherlands at the time, only 38,000 survived World War II. However, authorities never recognized their own role in facilitating the persecution of Jews by Nazi Germany.
Note EU-Digest: Was this apology by the Dutch PM a sincere gesture or more of a political P.R. statement? The Dutch Government at the time of the occupation, was one which was established by, and collaborating with the Nazi's, they obviously would or could do very little in stopping the atrocities committed by the Nazi's. This in contrast to the Dutch resistance forces, which fiercely attacked the Nazi occupiers in the Netherlands throughout the war.
Read more at: Netherlands apologizes for WWII persecution of Jews for first time | News | DW | 26.01.2020
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