Daughters of collaborating parents

For a long time, not much was known about the experiences of women whose parents were on the ‘wrong’ side during the years of German occupation. In this oral history project, women are interviewed who were born before 10 May 1940 into a National Socialist family. At least one of their parents had National Socialist sympathies or was a member of the National Socialist Movement (NSB), the National Socialist Dutch Workers’ Party (NSNAP), the Black Front or the (later) National Front.

In addition, the women interviewed meet at least one of the following characteristics: membership of a National Socialist youth organisation (such as the Youth Storm); having worked for the German Red Cross; having fled after Dolle Dinsdag (5th September 1944); having been interned and/or tried after liberation without or with one of their parents; having been placed in a foster family and/or children’s home after liberation because of the internment and/or trial of their parents.

Recording the testimonies of the ‘daughters’ of collaborators provides insight into the world of a category of women who have long kept silent about their backgrounds and experiences. Even though a number of them have written down their memories, the women have often not dared to reveal much about their experiences in, for example, a National Socialist youth organisation. The interviews also shed light on how Dutch society dealt with the issue of guilt and punishment after the German occupation.