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De Bijzondere Rechtspleging 1944 tot 1952
by Eefting, Henk
The author became fascinated with the postwar settling of accounts of the Dutch authorities with those who had supported the Nazis as members of the Dutch National Socialist Party NSB, as auxiliary guards with the hulplandwacht, the feared auxiliary police, known as the Landwacht.The Dutch government-in-exile in London instituted Special Tribunals, Bijzondere Rechtspleging, to help contain the anger of the public with collaborators who had acted as the legs, arms and eyes for the Nazis during the occupation, by betraying suspected loyal fellow citizens, neighbours and sometimes family members for activities such as hiding those on the run.The tribunals were to be timely, rigorous and just with the political delinquents and collaborators. This special-tracked justice turned out to be problematic and controversial in every day practice, and unrealistic from a judicial, organizational, logistical, and moral point of view. As well, Dutch Queen Wilhelmina and her cabinet were divided, the Militairy Command, which controlled the liberated areas initially, the former Resistance and the BS, the citizen’s guard (Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten) all had their own agendas for a post-WWII reckoning and society, creating an embarrassing stain on Dutch history.The book argues that Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Bernhard did not always act within the parameters of the Constitution. The author, although the son of a former NSB member and who served his country as a career Army officer and as a penitentiary official, approaches this subject from a broad perspective and documents it thoroughly. His conclusions are forthright and involve the entire post-war judicial aftermath.Readers whose parents and grandparents emigrated with a sense of disillusionment, will want to read this book to understand the context of the decision to pull up stakes. Dutch language.
Paperback, 453 pages, Illustrated with photographs and documents, notes, Special Import
USD 18.95 / CAD 24.95