Dutch WWII Nazi Collaboration Archive Opens, Exposing Hidden Histories And Family Fears

For 80 years, the personal histories of Dutch collaborators with the Nazis have been locked away in filing cabinets in The Hague. But this week, that history is set to be revealed. Starting Thursday, the central archives of the special jurisdiction courts, established to bring wartime collaborators to justice after the Netherlands was liberated, will be opened to the public.

Previously, the CABR archive was only open to researchers, family members, and anyone directly connected. Now, all visitors will have the opportunity to access the CABR archive. For the very first time, between January and March 2025, researchers, and descendants, of course, will be granted digital access to a quarter of the 425,000 persons database on site at the national archive in The Hague.

While many in the Netherlands believe this is a crucial step toward reckoning with the country’s wartime past, including its economic and bureaucratic collaboration with the Nazis, others feel uneasy about the opening. One such person is 74-year-old Connie, whose family history is part of the archive. “I don’t know what could come out of it eventually, if people Google our surname,” she said.

Three quarters of the Jewish population in the Netherlands, above 102,000 people, were killed during the Holocaust. There was collaboration among the Dutch authorities and citizens. The country is just currently facing this historical darkness, and the recent developments are a national Holocaust Museum and a public apology.

Johannes Houwink ten Cate, emeritus professor of Holocaust studies at Amsterdam University, said that although the feelings of relatives of collaborators are understandable, revealing this information is an important step. The archive, which includes personal documents like diaries, medical records, and court judgments, was initially planned to be released online but has been delayed due to privacy concerns raised by the Dutch Data Protection Authority.

Though some worry about the impact of exposing these files, experts argue that understanding this history is essential for moving forward.