Imaazje! The imagination of Provo

Provo is one of the best-known protest movements of the 1960s. Although disbanded in 1967, Provo is still surrounded by tasty stories, fond memories and ever-expanding myths. Historian Niek Pas (Tegelen, 1970) conducted extensive research into this protest movement, trying to explain why Provo emerged as an action group in numerous Dutch and foreign cities and simultaneously grew into an international symbol of the Dutch 1960s. This resulted in his dissertation Imaazje! The Imagination of Provo (1965-1967)(Amsterdam: Wereldbibliotheek, 2003). For his doctoral research, Niek Pas interviewed several former members of Provo. Of the interviews, 29 were taped, spread over 38 audio cassettes.

Drawing on the background and networks of two key players at the time, Rob Stolk and Roel van Duijn, Niek Pas paints a fascinating picture of the birth and development of Provo – in Amsterdam, but also in Maastricht and Belgium.