The wounds of World War II are still open in the Netherlands more than 60 years later, as evidenced by the first public testimony of six former Nazi SS members almost nonagenarians shortly to be issued to millions of viewers and show no sign of repentance, on the contrary. Former Dutch collaborators, the youngest of whom is 85 years old, refused to apologize to his countrymen for having shaken hands with the Nazi occupiers in the documentary "Black Soldiers" (Zwarte Soldaten) issuing public television in the Netherlands on 2 May.
Given the interest generated, the Dutch press has advance excerpts from the film, in which six former Nazis explain what motivated them to join the ranks of repression. The broadcast of the program coincides with the celebration (May 4) of the fallen Dutch World War II. "Never before had spoken so publicly Dutch SS members, collaborators with the Nazi occupiers," says Joost Seelen film's director, was quoted by the Dutch newspaper "AD." Seelen had the opportunity to conduct extensive interviews with these six "SS Dutch" about two years ago when the movie was filmed.
Since then, two of them have died because of his age. "I think his age, and being aware that they were few years, has been one of the main reasons that motivated them to testify in public," says the director of the documentary. "They had nothing to lose, they realized that this would be his last chance to have" their "truth", adds Seelen.
NCRV channel of public television in the Netherlands in total collected the testimony of eight former Nazi SS members, although only six issues. Some of the interviews lasted nearly three hours even. "They had a lot to say," says Seelen. Although the Dutch division of the SS, the NSB, of which he was commander in chief Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945), was not so sadly notorious as his Germanic counterpart, took part in numerous acts of repression during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands Netherlands.
An important part of the documentary is based on archival images taken with cameras usually 35 mm and 16 mm during the occupation, and part-interspersed, are the interviews with former SS officers. Interestingly enough, it should be noted that one of the eight respondents demanded that the documentary was aired only after his death, a tangible sign that the war has left unhealed wounds in the country of tulips.
Among the most recurrent arguments over the interviews are the reasons that prompted them to wear the black uniform of the SS (hence the title of the film precisely.) "Those uniforms were for me a huge drawing power, irresistible," said one of the protagonists, former SS Klaas Overmars, who died recently.
The truth is that the documentary is full of tough and controversial statements, especially regarding the Jews. "I hate the Jews (...) he managed to do a good cleaning," said Overmars in reference to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and his strategy of "final solution" to the death camps. Another surprising fact is that none of the interviewees regret anything.
"Until today, I feel no remorse," said Kris old Sun "They took care to maintain racial purity, Hitler did the right thing," the former Dutch SS, most with signs of pride for what happened . For the director of the documentary is quite striking that, despite the loftiness of his age, none of these former collaborators with the Nazis have had the slightest gesture of remorse or repentance for almost 70 years ago happened.
"I'm surprised they have spoken so harshly and so directly, undeterred by what you explained," says Joost Seelen. Precisely coincide with the commemoration of the fallen Dutch in the war, the "Committee 4 / 5" and the Jewish History Museum have joined forces with the Dutch National Archives to make this year the memory of those events is a particularly emotional and useful for future generations.
To mark these dates is called the inhabitants of Amsterdam, on a voluntary basis, marked with a star of David the facades of their houses, as did the traitors and "cazajudíos" for agents to Nazis and Hitler's SS could identify members of the community to arrest and deportation to death camps.
The objective of this initiative is to be clearly visible houses where 61,700 Jews lived in Amsterdam who were deported to camps such as Auschwitz, Treblinka and Bergen-Belsen, where Anne Frank died (1929-1945). The documentary "Black Soldiers" is issued on 2 May by the Dutch television channel Nederland-2 at 22:55 (20:55 GMT) and will be broadcast live over the Internet. 
Given the interest generated, the Dutch press has advance excerpts from the film, in which six former Nazis explain what motivated them to join the ranks of repression. The broadcast of the program coincides with the celebration (May 4) of the fallen Dutch World War II. "Never before had spoken so publicly Dutch SS members, collaborators with the Nazi occupiers," says Joost Seelen film's director, was quoted by the Dutch newspaper "AD." Seelen had the opportunity to conduct extensive interviews with these six "SS Dutch" about two years ago when the movie was filmed.
Since then, two of them have died because of his age. "I think his age, and being aware that they were few years, has been one of the main reasons that motivated them to testify in public," says the director of the documentary. "They had nothing to lose, they realized that this would be his last chance to have" their "truth", adds Seelen.
NCRV channel of public television in the Netherlands in total collected the testimony of eight former Nazi SS members, although only six issues. Some of the interviews lasted nearly three hours even. "They had a lot to say," says Seelen. Although the Dutch division of the SS, the NSB, of which he was commander in chief Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945), was not so sadly notorious as his Germanic counterpart, took part in numerous acts of repression during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands Netherlands.
An important part of the documentary is based on archival images taken with cameras usually 35 mm and 16 mm during the occupation, and part-interspersed, are the interviews with former SS officers. Interestingly enough, it should be noted that one of the eight respondents demanded that the documentary was aired only after his death, a tangible sign that the war has left unhealed wounds in the country of tulips.
Among the most recurrent arguments over the interviews are the reasons that prompted them to wear the black uniform of the SS (hence the title of the film precisely.) "Those uniforms were for me a huge drawing power, irresistible," said one of the protagonists, former SS Klaas Overmars, who died recently.
The truth is that the documentary is full of tough and controversial statements, especially regarding the Jews. "I hate the Jews (...) he managed to do a good cleaning," said Overmars in reference to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and his strategy of "final solution" to the death camps. Another surprising fact is that none of the interviewees regret anything.
"Until today, I feel no remorse," said Kris old Sun "They took care to maintain racial purity, Hitler did the right thing," the former Dutch SS, most with signs of pride for what happened . For the director of the documentary is quite striking that, despite the loftiness of his age, none of these former collaborators with the Nazis have had the slightest gesture of remorse or repentance for almost 70 years ago happened.
"I'm surprised they have spoken so harshly and so directly, undeterred by what you explained," says Joost Seelen. Precisely coincide with the commemoration of the fallen Dutch in the war, the "Committee 4 / 5" and the Jewish History Museum have joined forces with the Dutch National Archives to make this year the memory of those events is a particularly emotional and useful for future generations.
To mark these dates is called the inhabitants of Amsterdam, on a voluntary basis, marked with a star of David the facades of their houses, as did the traitors and "cazajudíos" for agents to Nazis and Hitler's SS could identify members of the community to arrest and deportation to death camps.
The objective of this initiative is to be clearly visible houses where 61,700 Jews lived in Amsterdam who were deported to camps such as Auschwitz, Treblinka and Bergen-Belsen, where Anne Frank died (1929-1945). The documentary "Black Soldiers" is issued on 2 May by the Dutch television channel Nederland-2 at 22:55 (20:55 GMT) and will be broadcast live over the Internet.
No comments:
Post a Comment