Netherlands Publishes Archive of 425,000 Suspected Nazi Collaborators, 80 Years After Holocaust

Jan 6, 2025, 05:21 AM

The Netherlands has made public a digital archive containing the names of 425,000 individuals suspected of collaborating with Nazi Germany during World War II, 80 years after the Holocaust. This release follows the expiration of a law prohibiting access to these records. The database, created as part of the "War in Court" project by the Huygens Institute with government funding, includes names, birth dates, and places of birth of those investigated, though it does not specify the nature of their alleged collaboration. Of those listed, over 150,000 faced legal proceedings, with only a fraction convicted. The project aims to shed light on the extent of Dutch collaboration during the Nazi occupation, a period during which over 100,000 Dutch Jews were killed in the Holocaust. The archive represents nearly 5% of the Netherlands' 8.7 million population at the time. While the archive is seen as an important resource for historians, educators, and descendants, it has also sparked ethical concerns about potential errors and the stigmatization of individuals who were not guilty. The Dutch National Archives has acknowledged that some names may have been included mistakenly, such as those of witnesses or victims, and has urged individuals to report inaccuracies for correction.