Unveiling Histories: The Wartime Collaborators Archive Goes Public

The Dutch 'War in Court' project has released names of alleged wartime Nazi collaborators, following the expiry of a restrictive law. With 425,000 individuals listed, the archive sheds light on WWII cooperation in the Netherlands. Although full dossiers are delayed, interested parties can request access to these historical records.

A significant Dutch initiative, 'War in Court,' unveiled a list of nearly 500,000 names suspected of collaborating with Nazi forces during World War II. This release follows the expiration of a legal provision that had previously barred public access to this sensitive archive.

The archive, holding over 32 million pages, details investigations into Dutch individuals suspected of aiding German occupiers. Notably, only about 20% of those named faced judicial proceedings, predominantly for minor offenses linked to the Nationalist Socialist movement. The restriction lifted on New Year's Day, permitting broader disclosure.

While European data privacy regulation (GDPR) typically safeguards personal information, it excludes deceased persons, covering most individuals in the archive. Although plans to fully unveil dossiers online were halted due to a data protection warning, the compilation of names is now available. Researchers, journalists, and descendants may request to view the full records at the Dutch National Archives in The Hague.

(With inputs from agencies.)