
It would be easy for me to say that Dutch Jews, and those who fled Germany and Austria, were badly treated by the Germans in the Netherlands during World War II. To a great extent that would be true, but the Germans were helped by a great number of Dutch. One thing I have often said before and what is very important to understand is, that not all Germans were Nazis, and not all Nazis were German.
Many Dutch were complacent whilst their Jewish friends, colleagues and sometimes family, were persecuted and murdered. Often this complacency was born out of fear. On the other hand, there were many who were only too eager to please their new “Lords.” They would put up signs like the one in the photograph above that reads, “Municipality of Renkum—Restricted Freedom of Movement for Jews, Ordinance #136, 1941.” That should have been a sign for the rest of the population. It went against everything the Dutch society was known for, yet so little was done against it.
Below are a few more examples.
Below, at the bottom right corner of the window, a small sign reads, “Forbidden to Jews.”

Vondel Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Amsterdam, and during the war, Jews were not allowed to enter.

The Jewish population of Amsterdam was being roundup, and no one resisted.

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