Post war Dutch singularities

Anti-Semitism is on the increase

Anti-Semitism is on the increase. A friend who also survived the camps tells Rosie about being called names on the street: Dirty Jew, they forgot to gas you.

Of the few survivors who returned, the majority emigrated after a cool reception. In spite of the insistence of the Dutch government, Rosie decided not to go back to the Netherlands and leave Sweden, where the Scandinavian Red Cross had provided shelter and accommodation.

The resistance bulletin De Patriot wrote in July 1945: The Jews who have resurfaced should thank God for the help they received and should know their place. Better people have been lost and those who went into hiding should bear that in mind. There is much to be made good. They should be grateful.
Shortly after the war, Prince Bernard, who had actively supported the liberation of the Netherlands from his base in London and maintained contact with the Dutch resistance, gave the following response to a question posed by a journalist asking whether many people had served in the resistance: During the war few, but after the war a million.

Considerably higher percentage murdered Jewish population

In the Netherlands, the percentage of the Jewish population that was murdered or did not return was considerably higher than in Nazi lead Germany and Italy. It is comparable with a number of infamously anti-Semitic countries such as Poland where almost the entire Jewish population was wiped out. 90% of Rosie’s family was murdered.

Difficulties by the government for by getting back stolen money and property

The Dutch government implemented a law that made the return of stolen money, paintings and property difficult. Property was sometimes shared out between government officials. The Dutch state treated many returnees unjustly, and on occasion behaved like a common thief. Returnees were not permitted to appeal to the government. Sixty years after the war, the government agrees to act with fairness in the return of confiscated paintings. Almost all of the people involved are already dead by this time.

In the Swedish reception camp, Rosie received a winter jacket from the Dutch embassy in Sweden. Two years later she received a bill. Sweden provided camp survivors with food, medical care and housing without charge. The Dutch wanted her to pay for the winter coat they had given her.

Arrest of (ex-)husband Leo

The lawyer of Rosie’s ex-husband Leo, who was arrested on the basis of Rosie’s declaration, threatens her and makes unjust accusation.

In the Tribunal’s official minutes he says with regard to Rosie: It is commonplace these days that Jews are seeking redress by fraudulent means. Why should that not be so in the case of Rosie Glaser?

Tax assessments for those who were murdered and compensation for those who survived

The government drafted tax assessments for those who were murdered in the camps. Rosie and her brother were likewise confronted with such an assessment. Surviving family members responded that the people in question were murdered, but because they were unable to provide official proof, the tax assessments were imposed and money deposited in bank accounts at the state run Liro Bank was withdrawn without the permission of the titular of the account. It was to take years before this unjustly acquired money was returned

In the Netherlands, the settlement of compensation received from Germany – the so-called Wiedergutmachung – met with lengthy delays. When Rosie inquired about the situation in 1964 she received the following response: “In order to avoid extra work, I would be grateful if you would refrain from further correspondence, c.q. telephone inquiries. – Signed the head of the central Settlements Office – German Compensation Disbursements.”

The Netherlands refused more than once to disburse German Wiedergutmachung money to Rosie for a variety of reasons. It was only after she spoke of the matter with Queen Juliana during a state visit to Stockholm that she received albeit limited compensation.
After the war, the Germans claimed Wir haben es nicht gewusst. Many Dutch people likewise claimed that they had seen and were aware of nothing. The mayor of Naarden serves as an example in this regard. As mayor he gave order to the police under his authority. He declared nevertheless that he did not know about the arrest of Rosie and her mother by the officers in his charge. The chief inspector of police did not know. The civil servant working at the Sicherheitsdienst likewise proclaimed his ignorance. No one knew anything. Some declarations related to Rosie’s arrest.

Some declarations related to Rosie’s arrest:

Family get-together 1939, only two survivors
The murdered cousins