Goodbye Holland
Encyclopedia
Goodbye Holland is a 2004 documentary
about the extermination of Dutch
Jews
during World War II
. The film debunks the accepted notion that the Dutch were 'good' during the war, exposing how Dutch police and civil servants helped the Nazis implement massive deportations, which resulted in the death of 78 percent of the Jews in the Netherlands
.
The documentary was made by Emmy Award winning director Willy Lindwer
.
is perhaps the most familiar symbol of the Holocaust in the Netherlands, remembered for the diary in which she recorded her thoughts, feelings and reflections during her family's two years in hiding. But Anne's memory is most important as a symbol of the senseless destruction of Dutch Jewry
, and the deeply rooted antisemitism in Dutch society that allowed for, and even encouraged, the murder of more than 100,000 Jews. Goodbye Holland tells the story of Dutch antisemitism and collaboration with the Nazis — which resulted in the highest percentage of Jewish fatalities in all of Western Europe
— through the lens of one man's personal quest to put together the pieces of his family's history.
"What happened was not just the result of German
evil. The Dutch were not willing to save Jews because they perceived the Jew as 'other'," says Jacques Wallage
, Jewish son of Holocaust survivors who is now the current mayor
of Groningen, once home to a vibrant Jewish community.
Classic Christian
antisemitism was all-pervasive among the devoutly religious Dutch population, and in the wake of economic recession anti-Jewish sentiment reached an all-time high in prewar Netherlands. Many became willing collaborators, betraying Jews who were in hiding, like the Frank family, and actively participating in the destruction of the Jews of the Netherlands. The Dutch were "fully at the disposal of the Nazis, and in some cases, the Germans didn't have to do anything, because the Dutch willingly carried out the deportations," the mayor explains. Others merely "looked the other way, so they didn't have to see anything."
, is the son of Holocaust survivors. He graducated from the Netherlands Film Academy in Amsterdam
in 1971.
He founded the production company AVA Productions in 1985, which has been dedicated to producing international
documentaries that are distributed world wide that often focus on the Holocaust or Jewish themes.
In Goodbye Holland, Willy Lindwer investigates the story of his parents' survival in hiding, and of the betrayal of an aunt and uncle who were hidden in a Dutch home nearby. In the process, Lindwer meets with Dutch
Holocaust survivors, and children of survivors like himself. In addition, he speaks with former members of the Dutch police force that operated under Nazi occupation. What emerges is a terrifying tale of collaboration between ordinary Dutch citizens and the Nazi regime that led to the annihilation of nearly an entire population.
Other documentaries about Jews in World War II:
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the extermination of Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The film debunks the accepted notion that the Dutch were 'good' during the war, exposing how Dutch police and civil servants helped the Nazis implement massive deportations, which resulted in the death of 78 percent of the Jews in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
The documentary was made by Emmy Award winning director Willy Lindwer
Willy Lindwer
Wolf "Willy" Lindwer is a Dutch documentary filmmaker.-Biography:Willy Lindwer was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy. When Lindwer finished his study, he worked for several Dutch Public TV stations...
.
Summary
Anne FrankAnne Frank
Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank is one of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Acknowledged for the quality of her writing, her diary has become one of the world's most widely read books, and has been the basis for several plays and films.Born in the city of Frankfurt...
is perhaps the most familiar symbol of the Holocaust in the Netherlands, remembered for the diary in which she recorded her thoughts, feelings and reflections during her family's two years in hiding. But Anne's memory is most important as a symbol of the senseless destruction of Dutch Jewry
History of the Jews in the Netherlands
Most history of the Jews in the Netherlands was generated between the end of the 16th century and World War II.The area now known as the Netherlands was once part of the Spanish Empire but in 1581, the northern Dutch provinces declared independence...
, and the deeply rooted antisemitism in Dutch society that allowed for, and even encouraged, the murder of more than 100,000 Jews. Goodbye Holland tells the story of Dutch antisemitism and collaboration with the Nazis — which resulted in the highest percentage of Jewish fatalities in all of Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
— through the lens of one man's personal quest to put together the pieces of his family's history.
"What happened was not just the result of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
evil. The Dutch were not willing to save Jews because they perceived the Jew as 'other'," says Jacques Wallage
Jacques Wallage
Jacques Wallage is a Dutch politician of Jewish descent. He has been the mayor of the city of Groningen from October 1, 1998 until June 25, 2009....
, Jewish son of Holocaust survivors who is now the current mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Groningen, once home to a vibrant Jewish community.
Classic Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
antisemitism was all-pervasive among the devoutly religious Dutch population, and in the wake of economic recession anti-Jewish sentiment reached an all-time high in prewar Netherlands. Many became willing collaborators, betraying Jews who were in hiding, like the Frank family, and actively participating in the destruction of the Jews of the Netherlands. The Dutch were "fully at the disposal of the Nazis, and in some cases, the Germans didn't have to do anything, because the Dutch willingly carried out the deportations," the mayor explains. Others merely "looked the other way, so they didn't have to see anything."
Production
Willy Lindwer, a native of AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, is the son of Holocaust survivors. He graducated from the Netherlands Film Academy in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1971.
He founded the production company AVA Productions in 1985, which has been dedicated to producing international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
documentaries that are distributed world wide that often focus on the Holocaust or Jewish themes.
In Goodbye Holland, Willy Lindwer investigates the story of his parents' survival in hiding, and of the betrayal of an aunt and uncle who were hidden in a Dutch home nearby. In the process, Lindwer meets with Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Holocaust survivors, and children of survivors like himself. In addition, he speaks with former members of the Dutch police force that operated under Nazi occupation. What emerges is a terrifying tale of collaboration between ordinary Dutch citizens and the Nazi regime that led to the annihilation of nearly an entire population.
See also
- History of the Jews in the NetherlandsHistory of the Jews in the NetherlandsMost history of the Jews in the Netherlands was generated between the end of the 16th century and World War II.The area now known as the Netherlands was once part of the Spanish Empire but in 1581, the northern Dutch provinces declared independence...
Other documentaries about Jews in World War II:
- A Story about a Bad DreamA Story about a Bad DreamA Story about a Bad Dream was made in 2000 by director Pavel Stingl and brings to life the diary of Eva Erbenova, a little girl who survived the Holocaust...
- Paradise CampParadise CampParadise Camp is a 1986 documentary about Theresienstadt concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Unlike other Holocaust camps, Jews entered Theresianstadt willingly, even eagerly, because Nazi lies led them to believe it would be a peaceful retreat. The deception continued even after it was clear...
- Pola's MarchPola's MarchPola's March is a 2001 documentary made by Jonathan Gruber about a Holocaust survivor, Pola Susswein's emotional trip back to her childhood home in Poland after fifty years spent in Israel, trying to forget her painful past.-Summary:...
- The Sixth BattalionThe Sixth BattalionThe Sixth Battalion is a 1998 documentary film that examines the little known history of Jewish soldiers who fought for the Slovak Republic, which was closely aligned with Nazi Germany during World War II...
- The Boys of BuchenwaldThe Boys of BuchenwaldThe Boys of Buchenwald is a 2002 documentary film that examines how the child survivors of the Buchenwald concentration camp had to assimilate themselves back into normal society after having experienced the brutality of the Holocaust...
- The Story of Chaim Rumkowski and the Jews of LodzThe Story of Chaim Rumkowski and the Jews of LodzThe Story of Chaim Rumkowski and the Jews of Łódź is a 1982 documentary that uses archival film footage and photographs to narrate the story of one of the Holocaust's most controversial figures...